“More water stations and fuel next year for slow runner like me ?”

“Water situation could've been better but otherwise a nicely organized event ”

“Not a well organized event. Ran first 10km without water. They ran out of water tubes at first two stations. People were stopping at gas station to buy water. Although 3rd water station onwards there was sufficient water tubes, humantra, fruits etc. So second half ended being enjoyable”

“lack of hydration points. organizers should take care such basic things. ”

“The road and organization were great”

“Arrival instructions could be more clear ”

“Water was an issue for most of race. Later part with flasks was ok. Beer garden needs to be open at race finish! ”

“Not enough bathrooms, no water on course, no water at the finish line, few amenities. Would not recommend the race to others. Don't plan on attending again. ”

“It was amazing best 21km”

“There was no water at the 5k or 10k stations, had to get water off a member of the public and fill it up outside a villa. There was no water at finish, only in the park which was a walk away. But the racecwas good and fun other than that. ”

“There was no water at any of the water stations for the first 15k of the race if you were not one of the elite runners. After that, there was water, but hardly cups. There were also no race fuel, fruit, or hydration drinks as promised. That was very disappointing. Other than that, the race was fun and the course was beautiful. ”

“The idea of running from Burj to Burj was great however the execution of the event fell short. 1. Bib Collection at Burj Khalifa as only option: inconvenient for people living in other Emirates plus traffic in general. 2. Toilets in starting area: Stood 45min in line, and started as one of the last. 4. No start chute seeding except for Elites in the fronts. 3. Limited, warm water available at the finish line - had to buy myself a bottle of water - first time ever!”

“Not good organized: - less of toilets -no water on water station till 12th km -water in blue tube are not comfortable to use - no possibility to wash face or put some water on head - a huge Croud of participants to get water after race the worse organization which i have ever saw. ”

“I'm glad to hear you had a positive experience at the half marathon in the UAE! Providing valuable feedback on event organization, freebies, and the helpfulness of designated staff is essential for continuous improvement. Your input can contribute to making future events even better. Thanks admin.❤️?”

“I was sad to see a lot of people taking one sip of the flask drink bottles then throwing them. I have 4 flasks now and will use them every run. I also took my own flask for the run. Great course and also the approach towards sustainability is awesome, well done.”

“Not enough water and these flasks were definitely not a good idea. Just give water bottles and have sufficient water stations. Also I waited for the shuttle from Burj khalifa to Burj Al Arab to go back to the parking and it never came.took a taxi while I paid for the shuttle.”

“Amazing experience! I love it ”

“Was fun, One for the books.”

“Not enough water at the first few stations so ran half the distance before first able to get water. ”

“Great race, well organised for first edition. Loved the idea of trying to reduce single use plastic, but unfortunately didn't work well for a road race. Also could have done with some more toilets at the start. ”

“A very well organised event. The race village was really good, and the sponsorship by Humantra was great. ”

“Burj Al Arab wasn't lit up at the start, no bottles available at the start, not nearly enough toilets at the start. Getting from the fashion avenue parking at Dubai Mall to the bus pickup was a bit of an issue as the mall doors were locked and we had to wait for the guards to unlock them and then run for the bus. Not enough water stations and the 'reusable flask' has a small neck making it difficult to refill - if you are racing for a PB (which this race is billed as) you have to stop to refill”

“Route was great, but organisation was lacking. I was towards middle of the pack and most stations had nothing but water left. Finish line was underwhelming, hard to say it was a finish line. And finish line had no water or refreshments. You had to walk more to get some water. Thats not right. MC was terrible, just shouting into the mic same words over and over.”

“Absolutely brilliant race.. Probably the best race i have done.. Dont think there is a better HM in UAE.. Keep up the standards pls..”

“Water, toilets, bib number, parking”

“No water no water no water”

“It was my first half marathon The preparations before (Bib collection, Bag drops etc) was really nice But the logistics during the race with regards to refreshments were terrible. Most of the stalls until 15km mark had no water, fruits etc. This was really really sad to see as it felt like the race was only planned for professionals and no one else”

“There needed to be much more water on the course - it is not safe to have so little water available. We received our first refillable bottle at 12.5km! Please do better for next year as I loved the course and want to do this race again. Also a better quality race shirt would be great. The Dubai Creek Striders half still gives out the best race shirts in Dubai. Thanks for your time!”

“There was no water available the time I finished, ( I finished at 2hrs 45 mins timing). ”

“1. The water station was not satisfied. i have received soft flask after 10km and by tht tym i was dehydrated . 2. Due to low temperature we was not able to wear jacket bcoze bag drop was at finish line, 3. Mero was close by 6am. 4. Medal was not too gud was expected more. The above is not worth for AED 260.00”

“The Water station situation was dire. I ran with my own water and had to help people with a drink. ”

“This was my first half marathon and it was amazing. The only problem encountered was running without water until 15K. Water stations does not have enough water for everyone. Theres still room for improvement. Congrats to Burj2Burj team for this event. See you again in 2025!”

“1. The first three water stations did not have water when we passed. 2. There were no signage at point where the trackers where there to track our time on the project. I think i missed one of the trackers. 3. It was not clear that we had to stay behind the cones. 4. Overall the experience has allot off room for improvement.”

“This was my first Marathon and I was able to achieve 18 kms by 9 am by then the Barricade on the way forward removed and I was unable to find the way to the destination. There was no direction board on the way for me to reach the destination. Also I was behind and due to this reason I didnt receive water when required. So highly disappointed with the organiser on this matter. I will look forward to participate and request the organiser to consider our points in future run.”

“Everything was perfect except the water management, the first 10k there was no water, actually it was finished by the faster runners and no gel and water for slower runners ”

“1) refreshment (food) at the end of race is good. 2) more water and energy food on the booths should have MORE quantity for the late runners. 2) after Finish line too much crowded 2) NO sign Board for the Shuttle bus ”

“Event was good. But route sign and water booth was not there for latecomers. I was one of them- this was my first marathon and I wished to finish despite of time. Due to lack of signs and non availability of water I stopped after walking 23 km (lost route) by 9:15 AM. So, please consider latecomers also who wishes to reach the final point - may be next time they will excited to part of new marathon and improve their time.”

“Was a little narrow at some point, also the way the start was organized was very amateur like. No one to control runners when to start and constantly the announcer begging runners to come back that made a false start. The finish was also underwhelming. Not many volunteers or something but just go to the tent and pick up the medal and no one there to control or make a line. ”

“The route was lovely The lack of water was a real issue, no water available for the first 10km. I understand you were trying to be sustainable which is commendable, but this did not work at all and frankly is dangerous to the athletes. The photographer should have been out on the course instead of just at the finish line, I've got no proper photos taken from them.”

“Not enough size small shirts. Water was very limited and completely out at finish line (finish time 2:10). ”

“ For an inaugural event it was fantastic. One recommendation for next year would be to have more music along the course - DJs, bands, even just speakers and an iPhone! Overall it was great, well done and congratulations. ”

“Great event, but the start was too slow, different race lengths or categories should be let off at different times. Also, some photos online of each runner would be good. ”

“Information provided leading up to the race was good, as was the schedule of the event. However, the race itself could do with a few improvements; there were not enough toilets at the start of the race for the amount of runners, several stations had ran out of water during the race as well as at the end, it was also not clear where to collect/ refill the reusable bottles, at the race village there didn’t appear to be any signs stating where to collect bags”

“Well managed but less refreshments, when we registered it was registered that we will received goodie bag but to our surprise nothing and there was no enough water throughout the running spots”

“The accessibility to water during the run, especially for those not in the front pack was VERY disappointing and was extremely difficult to get your hands on any liquids. This should be a priority in the next event and should ensure there is enough for all runners to use.”

“I loved the route! It is definitely one of the best routes! The only thing is water, this is the only half marathon I ran that I have to buy water at the finish line! Your campaign against plastics is absolutely amazing but please do not APPLY it on the half marathon event! Everyone needs water after the race. The organiser must join the Dubai creek half marathon race to get ideas and to apply it to 2025”

“Great event overall. Only comment would be drink stations were not organised well throughout or at the finish line.”

“Amazing event, route.. Improvement- water stations not managed properly reusable water bottle is appreciated very much. But message is not passed on clearly, so most of the runners thrown it as if single use bottle.”

“Lack of water in the first part for the race and the first stop had people putting their hands into the water barrel…..”

“route was perfect start was on time race village was beautiful some aid stations didn't even have water the soft flask system was quite a disaster 8/10 will run again next year”

“The event was not well organized 1) no water- we didn't get water up to the 15k mark ! 2) was no fun running next to idling vehicles and inhaling fumes as they were stuck in a jam due to 2 of the 3 lanes being blocked for the run 3) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -my chip number and bib number were different and my run has been recorded with a different persons timings ! Regards Anushri Shetty Bib 1305 (and chip 1304!)”

“Excellent race, but the water management was horrible. Multiple stations ran out of water and there was no water at the end of the race. Had it been hotter the lack of available water could have been fatal. ”

“Could have been organized better”

“There is always room for improvement but all in all the event was amazing! Will definitely join again next year.”

“Not enough water stations. Post race as well there was no water for athletes ”

“Absolutely not enough water stations throughout the course and NO water at the end of the race. Did not care about the racers hydration enough. There were not nearly enough bathrooms at the start of the race or throughout the race. There was not enough signage throughout the race to mark distance. One sign for 10k mark and 1sign for 20k mark is not enough.”

“they didn't provide any water after km 10”

“First 2 stops (5km and 7.5km) no available water. Yes i understood that organizer wants to achieve no single use plastic but you could have done better by providing those flask from the start then. Even on the finish line no water!!! Its a half marathon!!! Race course is really nice, only this hydration issue is super worst. It was marketed to have 10,000 participants but clearly water for participants were not enough for even 1,000. ”

“Lovely course, but the race only catered for the elite runners. Ran out of water on all stations, and especially at the end of the race. This is unacceptable. The sustainable option failed. (Some stations did go and buy bottled water to help the runners, but not all stations). Insufficient toilets at the start. Traffic management turning into 2nd December street was not considerate to runners and made them wait too long. That traffic should be managed earlier on in the race to prevent build up.”

“No water from 5km! What a shambles and incredibly dangerous for people not to have water!! After all of the advertisment you did on the water set up, you should be disappointed at what happened.”

“An excellent event, the route was great not having to do laps and repeat yourself. Point A-B with stunning views, i will for sure do this again. ”

“Good route, need more water, potties ”

“I understand that this is the first time having this route. |t will be more impressive if they really prepared it nicely. some points needs a room for improvement. Registration - considering the amount of registration fee, there should be a t-shirt sizes available to select from, but at the time of registration there is no t-shirt mentioned. Water Stations - we got only water at 10km point which is unfortunate, only photos on finish line? ”

“Sustainability considerations good but too extreme resulting in a worse-off situation. The beautiful and well made reusuable bottles were discarded everywhere - what a shame and heartache to see thousands of them on the floor to be thrashed, seeing paper cups on the floor was much easier and better for the environment i think. Trying to saving water resulted in dangerously dehydrated people with water only available to most of them after 10km, and shockingly no water at the end point...”

“Well done guys - Here is some constructive feedback. You need to improve the quantity / quality of Aid Stations The 1st Aid station was too long into the run and having volunteers scoop cups of water out of a bowser was not well received. The water / electrolytes in the plastic bottles tasted more of the plastic. Suggest you go for Half / Third of a Bananas instead of full Bananas to avoid waste as do not think you need a full banana at. No water as you finished was also disappointing ”

“Race was managed nicely. good work next year will do better than this ?”

“Не хватило воды,это было хуже всего ”

“1. initial information on the website not followed. 2. shirt sizes not available at collection time. this is a paid event and it should be available for everyone. shirt sizes should be taken upon registration as to not run out of sizes on collection time. 3. lack of signages, information on the track (i.e. the distances at least every 5k, sign as to where are the refreshments) 4. none or limited refreshments for the "mid-tier" runners who were a little behind.”

“As this was the first time, i think it went ok. But some corrections are definetly needed: 1. No water available on the first aid stations. Water was available only after 10km. ”

“Would have been a 10 if the water distribution was more efficient.”

“I signed up during the early bird time and theres no shirt options, so emailed the organiser and i was informed that for sustainability theres no race shirt then during race kit collection, suddenly theres a shirt, i got the big size coz i was not able to select the size that fits me in the beginning, so seems like its not sustainable coz i wont be able to wear it. Also it’s the first event and i only got one photo not enough for souvenir. ”

“Because stations were expected, did not start the race stocked up, but were empty until way over half way & mostly unmanned by the time passed. The bottle given had no cap which was pointless for the reuse idea?! As a slower runner, clearly was out there longer, into the heat & slower runners are more likely to be struggling for various reasons so this seemed slightly disregarding of those giving it a go & not elite. Personally was ok, but it didn't seem ideal?! Otherwise, fun morning!”

“Great experience. However a couple of learning points to take away. More toilets needed at the start! There just wasn’t enough and people nearly missed the start of the race to wait for the toilet. More water needed along the route. Most stations we got to had completely run out of water! More water needed at the end. There should be a water station at the actual finish line. I think there had been one but when we got there there was nothing left. So again more water. ”

“There is a lack of water supply at the 5km water station”

“First time for me. Good organised”

“The course was amazing and the race village was phenomenal, but the water stations and the bathroom situation was horrendous. A sad excuse for “sustainability” doesn’t mean that you run out of water for anyone that can’t run a sub-1hr30min half-marathon. We didn’t have water for the first two stations and also, the water packets were just thrown on the ground as you would with other bottles, so not really “sustainable” either. Would expect better after the first year of this race. ”

“It wasn’t great that the first 2 water stations were empty ”

“Nice event,good arrangements,like to run again.”

“WC in the start line wasnt enough”

“Amazing atmosphere, good route, good participant's package and post-race snack box. What wasn't well elaborated is ablution facilities at the starting point (so few toilets for a crowd!! as well as during the race - many athletes had to use local cafeterias' facilities!), water points during the race lacked marks/signs to attract attention, volunteers weren't well instructed what to do, the route itself lacked kilometre markings. Apart from that, really enjoyed the event, thank you! ”

“Thank you for organising he Burj2Burj, it was great! ”

“thirst, freebies, entertaining, well organized”

“Race with a view. Loved everything, except the “no bottle/no litter” initiative unfortunately did not go as envisioned. Myself as Middle of the pack runner did not get any water sachets until 3rd station. People were fighting over refill turns. One station they made the table collapse, was forced to find the municipal water stations along the route and even here were queues. Great initiative but execution needs more planning. Be back next year to see improvements. ”

“Very good and well planned event. ”

“Excellent event , really well organised , great atmosphere ”

“Nice location and well organized. Insufficient water supply”

“I don’t understand how organizers can have aid stations with no “aid”. The first two stations had no water for race participants and the only equipped one was well after 12km (just before turning onto City Walk). People were using public water points on Beach Road….seriously?! You also weren’t allowed to take any pictures at the finish line with security staff shouting at people to move and stop taking pictures… the first Burj2Burj and certainly my last. ”

“Water & energy stations to be improved. I was not able to hydrate and energise due to the long queue.”

“Amazing Race & Route There's a lot of things to improve like water stations is a must,electrolytes, and more toilets at the start line,less photographers on race route and the finish line is to basic for the iconic view.One thing add more volunteers and hopefully volunteers are all brief about the race. Somehow on my part i accept about the flaws of this race because this is the first time. So hopefully next year it will be more better. But i still enjoy that i do participate this race. God bles”

“The event could have been better organized in terms of hydration arrangements. In my first 10km I cudnt find any water flask left , and also there were tables being wrapped up. We went to roadside water stations n had to drink tap water to keep ourselves hydrated . And at the end at finish line too there was no water for us. It was definitely not what we expected . All the way walk to burj park after finish we found the water refill station. We had no flask to fill any water . Was so annoying . ”

“Has the potentials to become a classic road race for Dubai. Need more water stations at more frequent intervals. Ban cars on the road as there were a few cars allowed to travel along the road. Finishing arc is not impressive and no finishing time clock. Lastly, start and finish should be near the two towers. At the finish line, security guards kept runners from the Burj Khalifa plaza even thought the race title is Burj2Burj - stay true to the race vision!”

“Not enough water! Not really a run “designed by runners for runners”! If it was then the bag collection would be better organised, there would be adequate water during the race (most early tables were bare), and there would be adequate return shuttles for a point to point race. ”

“Water was not supplied in all water stations, we had to stop to in the line to drink water from houses water dispensers! When you leave to drink many runners missed the timing sensors on the street. I hope in future water bottles will be provided in all running events. ”

“Shuttle bus service need to improved..”

“The first water station was too far from the start. There were limited distance markers. My watch didn’t register so I had no idea how far or time … there was a marker at 5km and again at 20km that’s all. The finish line was poor. There was one timer hump then an other further on so no idea when it actually finished. No time at the end?! ”

“More trash cans and recycle bins outside park More accessible water during and after--not just 1 refill at finish but many and have stations in finisher's area along with snacks; bottles with water not just electrolytes Information on where to cheer More toilets beforehand More information on how to find seeded pacers and what time to get there for certain paces Move medals farther from the finish so we can jog after and not stop too quickly. ”

“Major thing is there was no water until 10km. Before the race there was only one bathroom stall , with a huge line of 40 people. Along the route really bad smell of garbage truck. Otherwise it was a fun race but definitely needs improvement ”

“Positives: Love the idea of running from one Burj to the other and the location of the finish line is great. Negatives: Not enough toilets at the start of the race. There was no water at the first 3 aid stations. Did not particularly enjoy parts of the route where we had to run along side passing cars. ”

“Great, Tough, challenging, Enjoyable, nice”

“The stations could not handle the load properly, it took until the 13km to actually get Humantra. And at every station, we had to wait to get a drink.”

“Was a great an iconic race. i loved the organization, the suppliers involved in the race and the route!!”

“The pre event was great, well organized ( message and emails). Only thing that was a negative note on the D day was water supply, I didn’t get any until the 4th stand…. Was a bit tough for such a long race ”

“Not enough toilets at the start line, and at 5km mark there was no water reusable pouches left. Absolutely great initiative with the reusable items but not practical trying to refill whilst running. But for the first time it was really really well done! Oh the hill at 20km was a killer though! ”

“The water stations along the route were poorly managed with no water and other promised stuff. It was a struggle to find any hydration at all. Even at the finish point there was no water available.”

“It was great! Only not practical thing was the electrolytes, which had to be poured in our own bottles... Maybe better for the planet but not easy, I didnt drink the whole race because i wanted to get a good time and didn't want to stop and mix my own little drink”

“actually it was my 1st participation i was searching for the water for whole time i was at very back when i reached to stations there was no water no glass or no bottles even no fruits and no hydrants as well any how tried to complete the race without water sorry but i m unhappy?”

“More water provision at the stations especially all stations before 10km”

“Hello It was a great experience but no glass at the first ravitaillement (5kil) and at the second all runners were puting theire in the tank. Out of compliance because high risk of contamination. no water at the arrival. You must improve your ravitaillement process. Let me know if you more details about my experience. All the best christophe Deiss ”

“There were no water :(”

“Great event. I’ll be back next year”

“Not enough toilets. There wasn’t enough water…we were running by the cars and tracks…. I was expecting a better organization for such event.”

“It was very well organised, and I highly recommend this event.”

“Water stops etc were not well stocked & although the aim was to not use single-use plastic, people were discarding the refillable soft flasks on the route. Not pleasant running alongside buses & rubbish trucks... think the fumes did more harm than good done by running! At the end there was no obvious place for rehydrating- had to walk for about 10 mins to the race village & the no more bottles station. Overall I was expecting more atmosphere along the route so found the experience disappointing.”

“Great Run overall, the route was one of the best. Loved it. Thank you Bruj2burj team for ur had work. Just few things for better 2025- better not to have half banana in the mid route, coz I saw runners slipping due to banana skin on the floor, signage for shuttle was a stress , different security in the burj park gave different info. ”

“It was mostly boring and not iconic ”

“While there was much to applaud (Great race village, lovely t-shirt, great route) there is much that could be improved on: 1. Water - This was a major issue during the race 2. Pens are needed at the start for the mass runners. 3. Music enroute would have been good 4. No km markers? 5. No timer at the finish.”

“This is very good experience for me in my life I'm so happy for that's I'm part of this event ”

“Fabulous atmosphere and loved the finish but: Water shortage in first half was dangerous Shortage of toilets at the start line not good ”

“Really enjoyed the event. It was very well organised. Collection of bibs was easy and quick. Race village had a nice buzz around it. The route was lovely. Some water teething problems but certain these would be all sorted out for the event next year. Participants knew information in advance and race pack was well informed. ”

“No water till km 12. People were fighting for bottles of water which volunteers were purchasing from nearby shops. Saw many attendees buying water from shops or drinking water strait from a water cooler spigot. At the end of the race people were queuing for water from a single water cooler. Major no no for a running event and a failure of sustainable initiative. What’s wrong with paper cups. ”

“Information email sent really late. Not enough toilets for the amount of runners, no water at 7.5km station. ”

“Not enough water stations - and the ones you had didn't have water!”

“Good experience and well organised ”

“Thank you to organizers, you could tell that you tried hard and put a lot of effort into making this event a memorable one. There were some cool details and the route itself was so fun. However, the basic needs of bathrooms at the start and water were not met and it’s the biggest fail of all. I missed the start because I stool in line to get to the bathroom for 45 min. I managed to get my first drink from the bottle laying on theGROUNDbecause the water tables were empty till 11K. Unacceptable. ”

“The view, location, idea of the race was great My only issue: I was disappointed with water stations; was too slow to fill the cups! We have to wait Also I couldn’t find any banana, electorates or any energy bars when i arrived to the station There wasn’t enough supply for all participants (only because im not that fast i couldn’t find any snacks or electrolytes :( i think you should consider this next time Also i think you need more photographers ”

“Thank you very much guy”

“Everything about the race was awesome, other than the fact that the water stations didn’t have any water. It would’ve easier and made more sense to ask runners to carry their own hydration - promising “enough” soft flasks and then not having any at the 5k mark is just not alright. Luckily I carried my own soft flask, but many in my group of 1:39 runners suffered with lack of water, in the first 10k. ”

“Overall it was a great race with an enjoyable route, improvements can be made on the water stations along the route, the plastic bottles were warm and tasted like plastic, paper cups would've been better, for the amount of people toilets were not enough. ”

“First 2 water tables had no water or anything for runners. The 3rd table had a queue to get water.”

“The water stations were badly managed should have been plenty in cups ready. I waited 10 mins after the race finished in a single file que for water, I felt like I was going to be sick. Also the times on the bibs were miles off. A great event and really enjoyable race if these things can be sorted would be great”

“Excellent event thoroughly enjoyed it. Race Village was a great climax ”

“There was no water available at the first two stations which was 10 km gone. That was poor organisation”

“Unorganized Unfair Dehydrated Expensive Take advise and learn something from ADNOC Marathon ”

“While the scenery was very nice, the overall support for the run was not very good. The first water station ran out of water, they were not very many water stations, nor restrooms available to runners. Then to cap things off the finish line did not have water nor sustenance until a quarter mile later at race Village.”

“It was a great event, really enjoyable”

“The Organization of the stands was extremely poor, no water at the first two stands and fighting to get any nutrition at the other stands. Having date protein bars towards the end is also poor planning as that is slow release, where you need energy quickly. There should be enough gels and electrolytes for all runners. I had to resort to drinking from used bottles thrown on the ground at one point and my friend had to stop to buy water. Having a hill to cross at 20km was disheartening as well.”

“Great course. Water stations need to be improved, there was no water left on the first two stations. Bathroom facilities need improving too, only 8 female toilets for the race. Atmosphere great though and the event village was brilliant. ”

“Route was great. Not enough water.”

“Was good fun, race village was cool ”

“Great event. Appreciate effort to reduce plastic bottles but the reusable ones the water tastes like I was drinking in plastic. Small complaint, overall great great event ”

“More organized and well planned”

“No iconic views as promised.... :-) Very little to no entertainment along the way. This is a big difference with other runs Most important: first 2 stops water supply was POOR. I saw 90 - 100 people waiting and 2 guys pulling water from a tank ?! Oher runs have huge tables with water and numerous people giving it to the runners. Because of your PDF file which clearly mentioned enough supplies along the route I did not bring water myself. The run was okay but this must improve next year(s) ”

“Poorly equipment water stations, why would you want to stop and fill a bottle. The finish was under whelming.”

“water stations were very limited, i was thirsty during most of the run. most of the track included one lane for cars which were going slow, and I couldn't breath because of all the smoke. The running experience wasn't very good. ”

“1. Not enough toilets at the starting point. To cater to 6000 people the number of toilets allocated was dismal. I started late cause of the long que. 2. Stalls for water, get, fruit was again very poor. When I reached most of the stalls there was no hydration. 3. No hydration provided at the finish line. Felt like the event was not well thought out.”

“While the event was really well managed the first and second stand did not have any water or nutrition for the runners in the back (like myself) This being my first half marathon, I was not prepared with nutrition (expecting it to be available) and went nearly 15 km without any nutrition. At 10 km mark I had to stop at a shop and buy water to keep myself going. Finally found some banana’s and nutrition at the 3rd stand. That part was disappointing. Besides that the event was very well managed”

“It was totally amazing and awesome”

“Worst organised race ever... no water if there are it is only for few. Even at the finish line there are no water”

“The water points were terrible. ”

“I didn't get any water at the first 2 stations as they were completely empty, also when I got water at later stations it was in single use cups. The reusable pouches were thrown all over the floor - this isn't sustainable!! Otherwise, the organisation of the day was good and the finisher village was amazing, best I've ever been to! Gorgeous route and event team were so lovely whenever I spoke to anyone. ”

“Selected T-shirt size was not given though Bib collection was in time. Finishing line was mess, stand in queue with painful legs for the medal and a cup of water. Early 2 x water stations without water. I could not find digital certificate and race photo as mentioned in PremierOnline portal.”

“Fun, thrilling, easy, captivating views but needs more water at early KM distances. Surely will run again next year.”

“There is no enough water during the race and and the finish line there is no water with you, thirsty after 21K at least, some dehydration or water water they give it to us it has a test plastic test”

“There was not enough water for the runes. The athletes were stopping on the Jumeirah road to drink water from Villas and buying water from petrol stations and shops - disappointing. No supporters on the roads even if it was mentioned that there will be support! Burj Park was great and the sponsors did a great job in the Burj Park.”

“We will see next year!!!!”

“Well organised but failed to receive any emails after signing up. Would be nice to have a clock at the finish line.”

“Atrocious, starting off with the toilets - 8 stalls for each gender - meant to suffice for a couple thousand registrants? Next is the water situation - got no reusable flask at any point. At least they gave out regular plastic bottles at the first station, but at the next - waiting in line to fill up our cups! Ridiculous! Then at the finish line - ALSO NO WATER! Love the initiative of going green but this is ridiculous. Went around asking where the water was - after running 21.1k. Not good guys”

“The route is amazing and the race village, however I was disappointed of the support stations across the route as no water station for the first 10km, no enough gels, energy drinks...etc Post race , I was expecting to receive a notification or email with the results link and race photos. Unfortunately that wasn't provided till date. It is a great race and venue though, hoping to consider the above for improvement Thank you for the efforts ”

“There were missing items during the race for the runners.”

“Parking needs to be addressed, event support staff needed to be informed of exactly what was going on. Shittles bus drivers had no idea of locati Tolets - 12 cubicles for 4000+ people is simple unacceptable Water situation was a horrible experience l, not enough water vert early on in the race and water running out is unacceptable on race day. Cars on the roads didn't make the race a very enjoyable run nor was it safe to be running alongside cars zooming past and breathing in all the fumes. ”

“Pl organize music, cheering and encouraging in the last 5 Kms & at the finish line offer water. Pl provide transport to/ from starting point to finishing point for all who wants it. ”

“There is not enough water during the run. Water bottles are problem, but Safety is essential during events. Especially for the slow runners. They did not have water until the end of the race. ”

“No photos yet this is what I signed up for ?”

“text in french : Bonjour, L'organisation du relay était très mal expliquée avant la course. Pas assez de toilettes avant la course Pas d'eau possible durant les 10 premiers kilomètres”

“A good event but, did not receive any water at the first 3 water stops. Resorted to taking used bottles from the ground. Cramping due to dehydration. Not enough toilets, had to stop and que at a petrol station. No water available at the finish line. ”

“There was barely any water on the course, that was the major fault, more refreshments are highly needed The village needed more food options More toilets at the start Felt that it needed more organization and things were not thought of or prepared for the amount of people registered Otherwise great course and great vibes”

“Was the worst half marathon ever 21 KM without water ”

“- I think there was not enough toilets at the start, I had to wait in the queue for a long time and managed to start the run only at 6:15. It was at the very end of the whole group. - Because I was running at the back, there was hardly any water/energy drinks left. At first station I got small bottle of water and then at 2 next stations there were no drinks available.”

“The lack of water in the first 10-12km was not ideal ”

“The track was good The organization was very poor : water supply was definitely very bad during the run and upon arrival - no bottle shouldn’t mean no water ! The signage indicating the distance was very small and not visible - the departure was good with the Arch but the arrival was very very bad designed (no hard, no timing indicated…a small mini van of water supply was there so people were queuing there to get some water but it created congestions on the arrival place. More info if needed”

“I would’ve preferred water bottles ! ”

“Very well organised and excellent run only recommendation I would have is for people to submit sizes online before the run for the jersey as there was only extra large sizes left when we collected ours. Otherwise a fantastic experience and event! ”

“No water, no electrolytes, no energy at water tables. ”

“It was a great event but some of us didn't get water until after 10km as they had run out so I think it is something that needs to be improved for the next time but overall it was well organised and a good route.”

“Best half marathon ever! Thank you!”

“The route was great; however, there wasn't enough water for runners. Most of us were reaching water stations were no more water is left. Also, no water available at the finish line or park. After paying an amount of Dhs 260 for the race, I expected more. In general, it was a nice route, but service was bad. That's why i gave you a '4' rating.”

“Evrethings good but only problem was you dint have any place for our race pack??‍♂️”

“Lack of water supply stations ”

“Feed/drink stations - probably too far to first one especially when it had basically shut down by time got to it. Didn't finish and no real information/assistance about what to do when stopped and how to get bacl to Burj for bag collection etc”

“Water was unavailable until way after the 10kms mark . Once l got the water you kinda had to wait coz other people would be getting water too.More water , distribution tables and distribution people would have been great . Also having water table just after the finish line would have been great instead of having to walk to the race village to also queue for water . Still have no idea where to find our pictures 24 hours after the race .Other than that , It was great .”

“The run itself was amazing However the first water point was to long into the run Second problem was not enough toilets ”

“The shuttle bus system was excellent and worked very smoothly. Unfortunately the lack of bathrooms at start line left a lot of people under pressure pre start. Also the lack of water on route was noticeable. The water stations that were there were all packed with competitors looking for a Gap. The run village in Burj park was excellent. Some small tweaks will have this event knocking on the door of a 10. Looking forward to the 2025 version. ”

“There was no water or electrolytes at the first water station. There was no water or electrolytes at the finish line. This was an unacceptable oversight for a half marathon distance race.”

“More water stations at the beginning”

“Stations were not stocked. I was only able to get water at the first station, it had nothing else in it. Every other station after that was empty of everything and water. I had to ration one 500 ml bottle of water from the first station for the whole time. Also it was a regular plastic bottle as I was not able to get the reusable bottle. Overall fun route, amazing people cheering us on and helping at every station! would do again!! race village was a nice addition (wish it was more shaded)”

“Positives: The rolling start, and starting spot on the communicated time. The race village location and organization. The quality of participants - it felt like everyone was seriously there to run and enjoy themselves - no people walking inside 500 meters. Getting 4,000 participants for your first event - wow. well done!! The only reason I have scored 9 and not 10 was the water situation inside the first 10K or so and the bar didn't open until 12pm (no judging for wanting a beer at 8am haha) ”

“The overall race was great. The route and the post race area, it was a good first attempt with an upbeat atmosphere. What let it down big time was the toilets and water stations. I had an average time and water wasn’t available at most of the water stations and none at the end of the race. The toilets were too limited, only one male one female around ten course with either long queues or not available due to the toilet blocking. The medal handover was rubbish too - no celebration ”

“Was great but water stations was a big failure it was out of water ”

“The bar in the race village was not open after the race and therefore served no real purpose in race day. It would have been great to be able to sit down and have a celebratory pint ( alcohol free)”

“Event was excellent! Great route and organization. Amazing race village experience! Nitpicks to improve: More start bathrooms, more breakfast food and coffee and more water station/staff. ”

“the refueling stations for the race was inadequate, they did not have enough gels or electrolytes, only water was available in most stations. also the KM tags were less during the race course. ”

“The race was excellent. One important comment - the watering stations before 10km ran out of water for slower runners, this needs to be addressed going forward.”

“nice path, great views, lack of water ”

“It was a good Half Marathon, only thing I would have liked to see was the Burj Al Arab lit up as we ran by it in the morning. ”

“Excellent event only issue being no water at station 1”

“I loved the route, and the 6am starting time was perfect to avoid the heat. But to not have enough water for most runners, on a half marathon race(!), is a monumental fail. An unacceptable health hazard. Found my first water at 13km. Not enough T shirts in M, S size. Runners were all released at once not in batches, making the first kilometres an unnecessary traffic jam. With so many races perfectly organised in UAE and a bank as a sponsor, capable organisers could have been hired.”

“Water supply/water stations - pathetic. Toilets - pathetic. Entertainment along the race - no present (ok, just 2 points with audio speakers). The route is nice. Goodies are nice as well (but not the coupons).”

“Water/aid stations were not well equipped to deal with the number of participants. While running, you could see fruits still being cut, there was also water shortages in some stations for the runners who were at the back. ”

“Couldn’t get any water during the run and the relay shuttle didn’t show up ”

“There was no water .. we needed water not electrolytes ”

“The event was organized well . Only problem is that I still could not find my race results. I thought there will be an email with a link to the results but that was not the case”

“Amazing route, wish they hadn’t run out of electrolytes and fruits for slower runners ? Never got my soft flask either”

“To get water / drinks after the finish line was horrible, bad organization!!!! As a runner you want directly something to drink after running . Medals grabbing from a table isn’t nice for runners … a person which hands it over , saying congrats is nice , specially for new runners !!! ”

“Not enough water provided - refilling water cups did not work as it took too long. They pitched it as a fast race but refilling water significantly slowed you down. Not enough toilets at the start and throughout the race. Disappointing finish - we didn't know where the finish line was until we were right next to it - we were expecting an archway to run through - therefore we did not sprint to the finish. No water/refreshements were provided at the finish line Medal disappointing”

“Information was hard to find. Communication was not good. No distance markers. The results details were only posted on Instagram over an hour after I finished the race. ”

“At the end of the race i have to wait for long to fill my water bottle which was a frustrating experience since the last thing you expect at the end of the race is delay in hydrating your body ”

“More water at the water station! Banners with the distance for the next water station. A better signage after the finish line (it was hard to know where to go to get the lunch and bag). ”

“Amazing event look forward to the next one ”

“The lack of water available at stations out on the course was a huge issue, especially for slower runners. It was a humid morning and this issue was putting runners at risk. There were very few marshals out on the course and I only saw 1 ambulance so lack of first aid is a concern. At times it felt like I was running in the middle of traffic with 1 lane of traffic open on the side we were running. It would be better to close the entire side of the road. The finish line was unclear.”

“I didn’t find water or anything from aid station. So i was exhausted. ”

“Water stations were pretty chaotic. Understood the idea of avoiding single use plastic bottles and littering but i don’t think it worked too well as most stations emptied out early leaving runners with no way to fill up. Also despite comms by organizers most runners still threw them on the floor rather than keep them in race belt. Can these be reused or will they have to be disposed? In which case it didn’t help too much. Maybe incentivize runners to keep them and get a reward in race village? ”

“ Donwe have the records of our laps? I have running with Mai Dubai Half Marathon and we are given the our recorded timings and vudeos. ”

“There was no water available at the end of the race. Also, during the race there was no water at the first two hydration stations and people were going to the mosques for water”

“Great event overall. But water stations were very poorly managed. Did not get a drink until 12th km. ”

“It was so memorable, loved it ”

“7am start would have been nicer No water cups or bottles for the first two water stations. Luckily spectators provided water and there was fountains by private villas but not ideal. Otherwise love the sustainability approach just something to learn from for next year. Perhaps different colour for electrolytes and water - it was a luck of the draw. (Then again I usually get stomach cramp from new products but was fine with humantra. More visible finish line so it’s visible. Thank you ? ”

“Not satisfied with the arrangements, on the running track and finishing line water was not available, there were long queues in the event village to get the water and breakfast parcel. If you make a comparison with events in Abu Dhabi then you will get a negative rating. ”

“Could use more bathrooms near the start line”

“Fantastic route and well organized race village. I'm already looking forward to participating in next year's event! Great effort from the organizers to keep the event "plastic free". Personally I found this change very relevant and pretty well thought through. However, it was very disappointing to see the participants dispose of reusable hydration packs. Maybe for the next time a. provide disposal bins b. impose "time penalty" on those participants disregarding race guidelines. ”

“Good day, they aren’t not enough hidratarion stations with out water ”

“Very nice route and atmosphere The aid station were not so practical and not fast enough to get the drinks, but nice effort to be more sustainable. I think is better in paper cups. At the end was missing a proper drink station with water, energy and other soft drinks. The race belt wasn’t comfortable ”

“No water by the time I got to first station All stations very busy, need more people handing out Lots of discarded bottles cups fruit making obstacles for runners who were slower- add more bins on route”

“Poor supply for the demand in aid stations leaving many seeking alternatives along the route in shops or taps. Lanes open with idling and passing vehicles, not ideal for such a large event. Single lane running making passing very difficult. Bladders discarded by most causing injury hazard and likely a worse impact than single use plastic. Shame medal didn’t have either building but liked the engraving on back. Delayed start, poor communication. Great t shirt and good running belt in the pack.”

“You need to have food and more water right at the end of the race. Having to walk all the way down to the race village was so incredibly hard after giving 110% to the race. I almost passed out on the way down because my body so desperately needed food. ”

“I wish you had water at the end line ”

“Very nice race and overall good organization. Just 3 points: 1. I would have appreciated to know in advance the flask bottle + belt organization (I would have trained accordingly) 2. There was no water available in the first 2 water stations during the race (most likely because 1st runners took many) 3. The 1h59min pacer was really not good, he started too fasrt and finished 1 min too fast (pace of (5:35 instaed of 5:38). Pacers quality also define the quality of such an event. Thank you!”

“What an epic event! Iconic to say the least, and can’t wait for next year’s event!”

“Great day, thoroughly enjoyed the event. Lots of people, a safe track, great views, not too hot, fun finish line and athelete's village. Would have been helpful to have water at the start and earlier in the race. Also not many water stations at the village either, and long lines.”

“More easily accessible water in the first part of the race please. ”

“There was no information point. nor where to see the electronic time list. .the medal does not say 24 k”

“Not enough water and marshals on the track. The route was beautiful ”

“During the Burj 2 Burj, the water station service was very poor, when I reached the first water station , there was no water left and also serve water in a glass its not very hygienic. I also never received the gift at he end of the event”

“Nothing to drink till 10K, seriously? Should be every 4k-5km.”

“The following need improvement: - more toilet facilities at the start of the race - the lines were unacceptable - more signposts marking the km along the route: 5/10/15km - water station at the finish line - we waited for the shuttle bus service at burj khalifa for over half an hour and it never turned up - we have received communication of our official finish time ”

“I didnt have water till 10 km because it was finished and it was not any camera to take e photos”

“Water had ran out at aid stations, zero humantra and zero gels at the aid stations when we passed. ”

“I ran 10.5kms without any water at the first 2 stations. I was so thirsty & lost 2 min at the 10.5km station & 1 min at the 13km station waiting in line for a 50ml sip of water. People were ill at the 10.5km mark, on the ground bent over in pain, many picked up discarded flasks to drink other peoples water from the ground! The first flask I got was at 17.8km and it was some artifical flavoured drink I spat out and made me want to vomit. I was so dehydrated. Safety is no. 1, and this event failed”

“Badly organised - health & safety issue!!”

“Concept is amazing. But orgnization was below expectations, mainly the fact that we couldn't drink water for the first 10km!”

“I know it was the first race but there was some poor organization with the water points. The first two water points when I arrived had nothing and the next one barely had any water. Even the end had very little shade and not a lot of drink options. The route was great and well marked off. ”

“Water idea to bad No photographer ”

“Organisation could have better, specially bib collection Water stations was managed poorly, couldn’t find water in first 10km!”

“Drinks issues and no grouping at the start cost a lot of people time.”

“The beer garden was set up post-race, but no beer was served. I stayed until approximately 9:30 am (2 hours after my finish) and still no beer was served. The course was well-marked, and water stations were placed appropriately throughout the course. I would run this race again even if there was no beer served. ”

“More water on the stations”

“All was very nice. Nice route and well organized. just would’ve been nice to have some more water stations”

“Was less water. It should be managed since the attendees above 7k people. Shortage of water is not acceptable. ”

“Thanks a lot for this wonderful race. Everything was perfectly organized, pre-race, during the race and post-race. Bravo!”

“The toilet at start is not enough ”

“The event was absolutely brilliant. The only issues were the first 3 water stations were completely empty meaning we had no available until half way. Also the lack of toilets en route , extrrrmely frustrating to have to wait a few minutes in the middle of the run. ”

“The best route ever!!! But not enough toilet on the start and water after the finish line ?”

“Why were the reusable bottles not given in the welcome pack ? That is the most basic thing to have done. How can you mess that up. There was NO WATER AVAILABLE for the participants till almost 15 kms. ALL the blue soft bottles had finished. The road was littered with those blue bottles. HOW IS THIS SUSTAINABLE ?? You created a mess on the road and people went without water. One of the worst events in Dubai in my 10 years here”

“1) lack of toilets 2) one of the last checkpoints (18k or something) was to short for 2 lines road 3) no waves at the start All the rest is good. ”

“Look forward to it going from strength to strength, however, as nobel as it is to offer a 'sustainable green' run, proper hydration & fuelling is the cornerstone of a successful run. The shuttle between legs never arrived, so acutally did 11km run and 4km hike.. Dan Moores was epic! The run village was great. Prize giving took too long and rusulted in giving away raffle prizes - dont make me wait for something and then give it to some random, you had everyones names & entry numbers.”

“I enjoyed the event.- completing the relay with a partner. Completing the relay was a bit more challenging when it came to the end and I ended up getting a taxi otherwise I would not have seen my partner finish. ”

“Best experience, only the start is too early, some muslim participants need morning/subuh pray 1st before join, or maybe next prepare prayer area near the start”

“One of the worst events ever organised in Dubai. The event organisers should apologise to the participants for such a shoddy job. Why were we made to stand in queue for over an hour for the bibs, only to be told that bibs are not required for children. We travelled 2 hours and waited 1 hour in queue only to be told that bibs are not needed. Such a waste. Will advise everyone never to attend this event ”

“Missing water on the course!!! and even at the end!!! on 21km seriously!”

“More & bigger signs. Your pickup the bib tent required me to make a big circle as the signage was poor. After finish, no signs high above people's heads for the water station as an example. Water was more essential than food/massage/ice bath etc in the athletes area... Which also had no signs. During the race.. Severe lack of fluids availability 0 availability for slower runner from 0-12km approx. Everyone was running to the footpath and using the dubai city facilities... WITH TRAFFIC ”

“Confusion at the start…better have single start…the elites will non be disturbed. Arrival line not clear”

“the run itself was fun, the concept is great but there were problems such as: - lack of water to drink. I ran the race thirsty and dehydrated. even after we finished the race there was not enough water. - there were not enough bathroom at the start and a long waiting line infront of it. i almost missed the start of the race because i waited for too long. - the concept is great but there is no way to go back to the start line. the shuttle busses were fully booked and not enough of them. ”

“The event was perfect and well organized.”

“Hoping next years event has more marsharls/staffs/volunteers scattered on the race course most importantly on the junctions or intersections for ensure safety of the runners, as noticed some exits vehicles tries to enter on those. Also more Visible signages are to be placed as runners most especially those at the tail end are getting confused on where to go. If the traffic cones are to be removed on the road, there should be a car doing the sweeping of the runners not able to finish.”

“Great first attempt, well done!!!!! I would expect that this race will gather momentum.....(and it's definitely a nicer route than the other 21k in DIFC). A couple of points to perhaps improve: - Seeding groups. Not a problem for this run, but it may be helpful as and when the race gets bigger. - Bag pick up was a little chaotic”

“Amazing run! Top organized!!! Maciej 2323”

“Waiting time in relay was too long missed my partners finish line moment, and was upset from the medal design and that there was no finish arch like the one in the start line”

“Water stations should be organized better as well as no water was available at the finish line. ”

“Everything great, but could have done with more toilets at the start line”

“I water stations needs to be improved”

“No Water, no hydration and nothing to eat during the race after 5k, poor management everything finished while half of people were still running ”

“Its once in a lifetime experience the idea was brilliant”

“The experience was great! However, please set up a point for bib collection in Abu Dhabi.”

“Bib pick up was hard to find because there are No signs for Burj Park. No electrolytes at hydration station”

“I enjoyed the event it was pretty well organised. At the start there was not enough toilets for men or women the queues where very long leading to anxiety about getting to the start on time. The water stations were excellent. I didn’t notice an medical personnel on the route, i could be wrong . Overall very enjoyable event”

“The run route was great and well thought out but the huge let down for the event was the lack of water and fuel at designated stations. There was also. Not enough refillable water pouches so a lot of runners didn't even get one. One station I got to had no water or fuel of any kind and others only had water not electrolytes or fuel as promised. The information provided made a big point of saying there would be lots of water, fuel and ectrolytes. Also no water at the finish line.... Seriously! ”

“no water stations. Even at the end of the race, noone to hand out water / medals. Who organises and event in UAE without FREE water? Poorly executed event. Also not easy to find results and still not able to see if any photos were taken by official photographers. ”

“What an amazing event. Well done to the organiser. Only thing I would say is that it was a bit difficult to find the results. It would be easier if there was a results section on the website ”

“The refreshment stations were poorly stocked and ran out very quickly. I was not able to get anything (caffeine gels, fruits, electrolytes) from ANY of the stations. ”

“I want's running in the lead but around the 7-8 min per km speed. And by the time I passed all the water stations, there was nothing! Nothing! You run thinking that after every 2.5km, there will be water or something and you see it all on the floor. No cups, no drinking bottles. Nothing to drink and you need to stop at a gas station or shop to buy water. Well, it's very frustrating. No fruit, no energy bars, or anything. I got lucky and at km 15, I think there was some warm water in cups. ”

“There wasnt enough water and gel”

“The best half marathon in my life ”

“No water at the first station was a bit of a killer but loved the fruit/gels/energy throughout!!! What an experience! ”

“Water was not available at all stations”

“Excellent route and great run. Improvements would be the water and rehydrate distribution. … was none at 2 stations we passed and didn’t want to stop to wait. Closing all the lanes on the road would also be a bonus”

“If there were water provided at the 5km mark I would have rated it a 10”

“The organizers need to review the number of toilets made available at the start. The queues were so long people were unable to join the race on time despite arriving over an hour in advance. The aid stations were not set up.. it wasn’t until 10km water was made available. People were running into petrol stations or using the taps outside villas to get water. The staff did not know what was in the soft flasks.. so handed you humantra when asking for water. No obvious finish line. ”

“The organization of water and Aid stations was terrible. There was no water at some and had to wait. No fruit or gels at other stations. No water at the finish line”

“I appreciate the organisers striving to eliminate plastic bottles (this is great!). i do not appreciate the runners who did not get the message that single use bottles are excessive and wasteful. perhaps this issue could become even more well advertised in order for the runners to comply with the ethos that is trying to be set. the Burj2Burj soft bottles should be supplied 1 per person and if the runner throws it away (that is their problem). plastic free supporting all the way ?”

“The first 2 water stations ran out of water and electrolytes. The rest of the stations had more electrolytes than water and it was not clear which was what. This led to dehydration and cramps in my run. ”

“Water and other supplies were finished during the match and seemingly they only targeted for front-runners....”

“Very exciting event to be a part of the first one! As one of the runners who were aiming for 2:30-2:45 - it was disappointing that every single water station was already out of water by the time we came through. I ran the entire 22 KM with no hydration other than the 500 ML I started with in my own bottle, which isn't very healthy for endurance. It definitely impacted my time any everyone was slowing down because of it -- running into shops and petrol stations to buy water instead.”

“worst organized event. Water no available. Few people up. Few marshals. Cars were honking and driving fast. One runner almost came up truck. do not organize again. We are submitting a petition to dubai sparts councilunder water station”

“Was excellent, however I didn’t get any water as all finished until 11k. ”

“Great event. Well organised. Big finish arch would have been better as wasn’t clear it was the end from a distance ”

“Overall great race, however the lack of water at the beginning of the race (till 10Km) and the lack of water at the end (no water at the finish line) made the experience not very pleasant. ”

“The event was good specially in the race village that is total great for a lot of activities. The only main concern is that there is no water for the other runners because everything is in the floor and soft flask was wasted because everything is in the floor. Some of the volunteers also is taking all the food box that should be the runner will be provided first. Volunteer should wait that all runners got the box because some of them is taking alot of boxes to take it home. ”

“The lack of water available during the race was not good enough.”

“Savchenko Svitlana Grateful for the opportunity to attend such an amazing event ! ”

“The organizer should put more water stations on the finish line next time. We were so thirsty after finishing the race, and we had to wait for a long time in the queue of a single water station. And come on, guys, don’t put cone barriers in the middle of the road, especially right after the starting point. Someone hit the cone and rolled over the road. Imagine you’re running side by side with thousands of runners, and suddenly there is a cone in front of you. ”

“Route was not flat as promised. Staff were not helpful throughout the route. ”

“Lacked sufficient hydration during and post race. Elite runners cleared out hydration and electrolytes at every station. No water available until post 10k. No water or rehydration at finish. Unacceptable. Also lacked sufficient facilities (I.e bathrooms) before and during race.”

“Not well organized on each aid station. There was no water at 10km ,volunteer doesn’t know what to do and prepare at the aid station.Instead of preparing and putting the cups with water on the table,they will let us wait in que for the water.No proper instruction to the runners during the start, There was no inflatable arch at the finish line,no label of distance posted on the street so the runners know exactly which km they are now,no proper instruction to the finishers ,not enough water too”

“Should be more water available at finish ”

“No water until after 10 kilometres. Running dehydrated. No electrolytes available at any of the water stations throughout race. Basics which should have been covered by the organisers and were included in the build up on Instagram. We were even told not to bring our own plastic water bottle as we would be given a refillable pouch at 5km. Got the pouch around 15km. ”

“The water stations (or lack of) was really bad. I didn’t see one until at least half way and some had run out or supply very early on. Appreciate this was the inaugural event, but you can’t get this element wrong, especially as people plan their races around it and it’s directly linked to health and safety. Otherwise, I thought it was a well organised event and I’m sure I’ll be back next year. ”

“Hardly any electrolytes at the water stations (Gatorade, more fruit, salt tablets, etc.). Also, post-race water was hard to find, hard to get to and very far away from the finish line. I did like that most of the route was shaded, though. ”

“For a point to point race it was very poor that there was no bag drop the morning of the race. I understand that it was open the night before but for those who were travelling to the race that morning it was disappointing. Personally I left a bag with such items: sliders, food, drink, supplements at Burj Park the morning of the race with my race number on it which was not there when I finished. If you wanted feedback you should have left the box bigger to allow for it...”

“Water stations were very poor and slow. First 3 stations ran out ”

“it was fun and full of activities, i had a great time.. i hope to join next time.”

“Make sure there is enough water and hydration at each stop ”

“Availability of water, fruit and gels along the route was purely distributed. The first station at approximately 9km has no water available to runners”

“I’m sure I’m not the first one to complain on the terrible water arrangement, so just joining these complaints. After the second empty water point, I had to run to the fuel station to buy water for my student. Besides this, pacemaker’s running for 1:59, whom we attended for the first 5k, was not professional: except permanent speed-ups and slow-downs, his finish time is 1:58, which is a big gap for this distance. ”

“Great event, one of the best half marathons I attended. Is there a way for me to buy couple of squeeze bottles? These were great but unfortunately I did not managed to keep one for re-use during training when weather gets hotter. Is there a place where I can buy 1-2 of these squeeze bottles? ”

“Good idea…loved the race. Keep at it”

“There is not enough water provided to runners. Access to water at the end of the race should be easy but this is the only race I attended where I have to look for water. Especially to those who are last in the race, being last does not mean they wont have the same as the first in the race. Being first does have its benefits but water is essential. Especially to those struggling. I understand that they have to close the road but at least have water easily available at the finish line. ”

“What a course and what an amazing race village! 10/10 for it all. The only thing that can be added are the number of portable bathrooms at the start. ”

“they could improve the water stations as the initial stations ran out fairly quickly and perhaps provide the water cups as part of the pick up bag with the bibs ”

“1) Shirt size should the same as registration size. I ordered small but I got large. It should be packed together with the bib to avoid first come to pick first serve basis. 2) Water should be provided at least from km3. 3) Runners are forced to bring their cellphones and other personal belongings while running. Bag drop off point should be at the start area. Dropping off the day before the event does not make sense.”

“A great event & concept but there was No T-shirt size available, Medal quality wasn't good and water stations wasn't available of supplies. Need to organise well so that we all can enjoy and support without any injuries. ”

“Fantastic event once running, the check in/bib collection needs leaning, there was no lane indication for relays or individual which led to 45 min queues to find you were in the wrong lane and the bag drop resulting in walking through the lines to get to, next year have clear signage and bag drop away from the check in! Happy to discuss further. The buses on the relay return leg didn't turn up which resulted in my team mate missing me cross the finish line which took the shine off of the finish.”

“Fantastic! Great staff across the track helping giving out water etc ”

“Not upto dubai standards too much mismanagement no paramedics after 15 km no water stations after 10 km not enough not done ”

“Not enough water , first water station did not have water when I got to it . Rest of the water station had glasses and I had to stop to fill up the glasses which made me lose time . We run next to cars inhaling all their toxic gases ”

“The badly managed water stops were the only negative point. Everything else was excellent.”

“Waterstations till first 10k were a mess. Otherwise good run”

“Not enough toulets at the start point. I was queueing 40 minutes. No paper cups andnot enougt water at first two water points. I asked to bring my bib to the start line. it was done, but i didnt get the goodie bag. I couldnt get it at the finish line on Sunday as well. When i asked in some of the orgenizer tents they referd me alweys to the differt one. I ended up with nothing. Ytd i crossed all the checkpoint but lookin at the results i didnt finish the race. I sent email with evidence. No res”

“Amazing day but needed more water on route and at the end! ”

“metro was not open early, no photos, no water at the finish line, not so much paramedics present”

“ I know this was the inaugural event (glitches expected), but I think the biggest problems that arose could have been easily foreseen. 1) NOT ENOUGH WATER! 2) Not enough toilets at start 3) Not enough small/medium shirts 4) Advertising that metro would be open early but it wasn't All these (except toilets) could have been addressed with better communication to participants. Next year you should give one flask per person and require people to swap or refill it to receive water.”

“Unavailability of water during and post the racd”

“Poor organization, Race started late, no energy bars/fruits available at counters during race. Water counters were very far apart and no water available after immediate completion of race. Had to go all. The way to Burj park to the cooler where there was a queue. Can't believe I spent 250 for this. So disappointed ”

“Allow earlier times for bib collection.”

“The organization was terrible, the communication and staff didn’t do nothing to help. The ruin my race and I was not able to participate. The worst part is how the justify their bad service.”

“It was not really clear on where to find Race Results ”

“Bad experience - The water stations didn't have water, fruits or electrolytes. Because of this I faced lot of cramps towards the end. If it was informed earlier.. I would have planned for it. ”

“Lack of water The medal should have Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab image to add value to the race ”

“Sustainability is amazing but the process needs to be rethought a bit better. ”

“???????????????????????????? love it ? love ❤️”

“Definitely water stations need improvement. Not sure the idea of flasks was smart as there were flasks thrown everywhere. Better to have normal usual water bottles. Finish line was also a bit messy. Usually runners prefer to remain around, better to have a bigger space. Otherwise all the rest was wonderful. Loved it”

“Not enought toilets/ bottle of water meant to be given but didnt receive it until 15th km thats way too late ”

“almost no water for the first 10k”

“there were not enough toilets at the start point. MANY of us were waiting for more than 30 min and we were late to the start line. The first kilometres there were not enough water stations. When we finally reached one, the water was finished!!!!!!!!! around 10 people stopped on a fountain (I doubt its drinking water) to drink. The whole thing about being sustainable is great, but then things can be improved. The email explaining how teh WATER was going to work during the race was not self expla”

“Not enough bathrooms at the start, first two water stations ran out of water. Beautiful course, number pick up well-organized. ”

“ 　レース前にビブを取りに行った時、とても丁寧に対応していただきました。 質問したことにも丁寧に答えていただき、有難かったです。 　シャトルバスを利用しましたが、バスを降りた後結構歩きました。シャトルバスなので、もう少し近くまで行っていただけると有難いです。 　トイレの数が、少なかったです。最低、今回の倍は必要だと思います。 　後半を走っていましたが、水や食べ物がなかったり、繰り返し使うボトルも不足していたと思います。たくさんボトルが捨てられていたのも気になりました。 　ゴール後、マッサージをしていただきました。待ち時間が長かったのですが、とても丁寧にマッサージをしていただきました。 　”

“Cannot find any water station in 10km”

“The setting of the event was amazing and the whole idea of it. However there was an extreme lack of toilets before and during the race. In a country like the UAE where it is highly illegal to attend to your toilet needs in public this was a big problem. The lack of water was a big problem. I had to go and purchase water after the event as there was nowhere to get free water like every single other race I usually do. ”

“A good route however the planning and organisation was poor. Feedback as follow: - bag collection point difficult to find and out of the way, took hours to get to. - starting line not well displayed, no signage etc - started the race late - ran out of water at the 7km distance - distance not signed - 5km distance marker not across the entire road so some runners missed it. - finish line not well sign posted - ran out of tshirt sizes. - MC at the end unengaging. - shuttle FOX”

“Where was the water? Was I really expected to stop at lines on. the water station to fill my bottle? This was supposed to be one of the fastest. routes for a race. in Dubai, but stopping for water made it one of the slowest. Even the finish line had no water !! I am so angry ! 24 hours later and I am still angry and exhausted and dehydrated. Very very bad organization.”

“Not enough water stations or toilets along the route. Great concept and would be a fabulous event if organised a bit better. Also at the finish line. Disorganised with medals and water ”

“I went to the bib collection in the evening and you only had t-shirts in kids sizes, L and XL. You guys should check your sizes when we register. The shuttle bus driver did not know how to get there and someone had to give directions. The drop off point was a long way from the start. There was no water or fruit at the water point. You should be something that can be done for the slow runners as well as the fast runners. I could not get a flask. I felt sad when I saw the flasks thrown away on t”

“Supplying water can be in better way”

“Great event, loved the recovery at the end and the shuttle bus back to the start”

“There was nowhere near enough toilet facilities at the start line, 4 cubicles for Thousands of people! I was late starting the race because of queing for 40 mins for the toilet. Also water stations were poorly set up, no water left at the first 2 stations by the time I arrived to them. Very unsafe. ”

“Only small criticism was the first water station on the run and lack of water immediately after the finish line. Otherwise a fantastic event ”

“Good event, well organised, maybe more water stops, route could only be better if run more of downtown”

“Very busy which was lovely. Decent atmosphere. Lovely medal/ fitness village Great freebies -No live tracking -Running with traffic meant running with fumes -No water at first station -Not enough toilets at the start - Media coverage only focussed on elites”

“Great route and atmosphere. Queues for the toilets at the start were disappointing and there was not enough water at the aid stations. By the time I got to the first one they had completely ran out of water.”

“The race was beautiful. The route itself was magnificent. There was no available water till my 8th km. Thats my only remark about the race ”

“Would have been great to see more people cheering runners on during the long 10 mile straight way. The finishers award was pretty mediocre. Would have been cool to have the Burj Khalifa on it.”

“Atmosphere excellent, location excellent. Organisation also very good. However being a slower runner I did not get any electrolytes or gels throughout, which ruined my race strategy but it must have been great for the faster runners”

“Thank you for the spectaculsr experience! Well done! Insipred to participate for the next! ”

“I did not receive any emails leading up to the event ”

“No water we suffered during the race”

“Need improve for infrastructure. More toilets and not empty water stops”

“The water situation was not great… I admire the idea of trying not to use single use plastics but now we have contributed to more waste with the thicker bottles and the belts which didn’t fit very well. Paper cups would have been great. Also a shame the beer garden opened so late, would have been great to have used it after the race. Otherwise we’ll organised, lovely route, thank you!”

“PROS Route was fantastic, weather was great, not so cold and just about right at the finish line, starting time was just about right, not so warm at the finish line for most of the athletes. The finish line venue was fantastic. CONS Not enough water supply even at the finish line. The use of cups created more trash than water bottles. Some of us take the water bottle and carry it all the way until it’s empty but that cannot be done with a cup. Not enough volunteers to cheer up the runners”

“First water station was empty when getting there. Other than that, excellent event. ”

“Good organization of the event, lots of runners.”

“More toilets needed at the start line. Water stops to be stocked with more supplies for those finishing in slower times as most was used by the time some got to the water stations. ”

“My first and best marathon ”

“Lots of water bottles thrown away”

“Great event on closed roads ”

“1st All refreshments/water station i passby during the race are all empty, most of the runners did not have the chance to grab some drinks, luckily there are few drinking fountain along the way. 2nd Regarding with photos to be honest for the 21km run i only have 3 photos ?, i run several fun runs photographer are happy to take shots. Over all this race was enjoyable and great experience.”

“Iconic beautiful route!!!!! Maybe the water stations could be improved. Loved the atmosphere and views, overall an excellent experience. Thank you to the race organizer!! ”

“Everything was very nice. It was better than Dubai marathon. The track was amazing and people were so helpful. Also the bottle with vitamin c drink was so nice and helped people to make the run easier. Thank you to the people who made this burj to burj marathon happen. Really enjoyd this run and the whole experience.”

“Great route, I will be back next year :) ”

“Perfect except that you need really to change your process for the water station.”

“Incredible event. Can’t wait for next years ”

“The traffic cones in the road were dangerous. People were running into them and I saw one person had fallen over. I could not see them coming up, with all the people in front. Needs more toilets at the start line. Parking was well organised at the police academy, but it was not initially clear that you could enter by the main gate. The first couple of water stations ran out too early. The hydration formula provided was good. Great route. ”

“Sustainability is one thing but it was not really practical to get water in cups while running. Being surrounded by cars was not really pleasant. Having to queue and walk a lot after the finish line to get water was not pleasant as well.”

“The worst organization. No water was available at the end. People were waiting for water in front of water stations.”

“1. Medal is okay but since it is launching event the medal should be iconic as well. They should mention 21km or mention in the strap as half marathon not Finisher2024? 2. This idea of sustainability and use reusable flask instead of bottle is Yes , but this flask taste like rubber, runner are just throwing them after 1 sip, perhaps that is the reason. I tried by myself it taste awful. 3. Finish line is doesn’t look like finish line. Perhaps put iconic tower of burj2burj and blue carpet.”

“1 - Water supply by means of glasses is very uncomfortable for running. You shall give bottles. 2 - You calculated wrong the quantity of blue bottles. I was one of the latest runners and I never could get one. 3 - In the arrival, there were no water or fruit supply. You had to go to the tent and make a queue, with a potential dehydration while waiting. 4 - Route too boring.......we were two blocks from the beach and we never saw the sea.”

“Here are my comments: 1. the start time at 6am was too early, it would be better if the race started at 7am with the sunrise 2. there was no water before 10km which is unacceptable for a race like this. Water is the basic need for all runners 3. there was not marking for kilometers on the road, again unacceptable. 4. relay switch also was not marked well 5. 2 smelly trash trucks were moving in the street parallel to runners with their smells that caused nausea for runners, unacceptable!”

“Not enough water in the first stop , not enough water at the arrival Good race overall we will definitely do it in 2025 ”

“Very well organised. Event. Best in the UAE by far. Good mix of vendors and entertainment at the race village. Issue with running out of water for some runners en route ”

“Water/Nutrition stations were always out of bottles that we were supposed to receive. It would have been better to have the water bottles in the race pack itself, to bring them filled up. I didnt get water on any station, so finally I had a used-up bottle which was thrown, on the road site, as I needed water. Everything else, was top class. No problems at all. Great Job, as a first time. ”

“I really enjoyed the event however there wasn’t enough toilets at the start like which caused a bit of an issue and there was no water at the finish line at all. When I got down to Burj park and tried to buy water the food vending trucks were out of bottles and it took almost 45 minutes after finish to get any water. ”

“superduper nice,,but so sad i dont have even 1 picture ???,but still lovely iconic race..see you next year”

“Unfortunately, very limited water (none at some stations!) and no food available through the race, unlike it was advertised on the race pack! Even at the finish line, no water and no food until you walk to Burj Park area. ”

“Great venue. However, starting was too crowded. It would be much better if the start would be in batches, based on finish time ; eg over 2hrs, 1:50-1:59 and 1:49-149, and so on. Also, the water stations were bad, specially the first couple of them. It got better later on and the water bag was brilliant ! But , 1st water station should be less than 5k , and one additional station after 17.5k . Water at the finish line was a disaster. Good for the environment but need more units. ”

“B2B was the worst half matathon I participated in: - i had never seen in any marathon that water stations were such messy, I didn’t have the chance to have water before km 12!! Is that acceptable - water was served in cups, did this happen in any marathon before, what if runners need to drink between stations!! - if the reason was to reduce plastic and waste, i had never seen such amount of wastes on a running track before, hundreds of cup, gels thrown on the ground. And more….”

“For next season i would suggest to completely close the side of the road where runner wil be so we can have more space for run. More often water stations and medals to be handed by someone who is part of the team, not to collect by our selves from table. Overall great running track. Keep on pushing for better organization.”

“Excellent race and if the Hydration is better organized, will became an awesome one. ”

“The water stations were limited! Myself and my friends did see one till around 10k mark! People were running into the shops to purchase. Otherwise an amazing event ”

“Very bad water distribution Logistcs of start and finish ”

“Great run some issues with the early water stations. ”

“Poorey organized learn something from Rak Marathon no vehicle movements in the path and no scarcity of water at the finish line. Nothing much after race just people are trying to sell cold breakfast to the runner . ”

“Not enough water and beer garden oppening up way too late”

“The event was greatly organized, but perhaps more refreshments could’ve been provided on the last 3 stations because people are more exhausted by then. Thank you for the amazing event and opportunity.”

“Amazing ran but I smelled the gasoline emition from cars specially buses passing to the outer lane along the routes.I hope the organizer will seriously look into it.”

“Great route but water was an issue. A lot of water stations were out of water and this is the only race I have done that there has been no water for runners at the finish line. ”

“Overall good event but slightly chaotic drink stations/set up.”

“There needs to be more toilets available at the start of the race. I queued for 30 mins and had to give up at the end because I was no where near the end of the queue and only had 5 mins before the race started. More water at the beginning. There was so many people darting into shops to buy water. Great first Race but teething issues for sure ”

“Just improve in the water provisions”

“Generally superbly organised. However, a shortage of water at the early stations was a bit of a pain. ”

“Water station's too far from each other since water is only being served in a cup. I only get to managed to get humantra at the last station and I even had to wait. Too less people working at each station. Too little water. No water at the end of the race, imagine we had to line up at the refilling station after running a half marathon. I spoke to some people and we had the same sentiments.”

“Love the event. The atmosphere was great. The live YouTube footage was good. However, it cut off the people crossing the finish line at just over 2 hours. For families watching in other countries this was disappointing. The single use water bottles were fantastic. However, these were only available from 12.5km for anybody running around 6:20 per km. this meant no water was peovdoed until this point. ”

“The idea behind it all is very good, the run itself was nice. However, the water stations ran out of water at some points, energy gels and electrolytes which was disappointing. We specifically didn’t bring them as was told they’d be there. Additionally the website to book wasn’t designed very well. It was quite confusing to sign up, when clicking the rectangle to add to basket it wouldn’t add. I hope improvements are made for next year. The race village was nicely set up.”

“The water situation at the end wasn’t acceptable, people were struggling to get a drink after the run as there wasn’t enough water! Apart from that an excellent organised event”

“It would have been nice if athletes got some water/coke at the finish line. The food box from Kipsuns was cool but again - no water?”

“Great event, loved it… hopefully be in Dubai again next year this time!”

“1. Bad organization 2. No water on the course 3. No respect for slow learners. Need to work on inclusion 4. You wanted to make it into a zero or no plastic waster but the entire course was loaded with blue plastic water pouch strewn across on the road .5.I completed my run in 3 hrs 7 mins but did not receive the time. Disqualified. Can't find my pictures too. 6. A lot of us started late as there was a long que at the toilets in the morning. A lot of us are very disappointed.”

“Awesome event! The organizers went the extra mail and provided a great route, great water stations with reusable water bottle and nutrition on the route. The end had great entertainment and facilities. ”

“Amazing event, will become famous in Dubai. Only thing that needs to be sorted is the number of toilets at the start, sanitation of toilets during the race and the water stations ran out of water. Everything. Else fantastic and I can’t wait to do it again. And again and again!”

“The water stations and toilets could have been better managed. I got halfway before I was able to comfortably get hold of some water/gels”

“The area after finish line needed to be more organised. There were long lines waiting for water and some even ran out. The medal collection was also very crowded.”

“The idea around sustainability was enticing but the execution was so poor. Not enough water throughout and where available you had to form a queue to wait for a cup. Not good when aiming for a specific finish time. At one point plastic bottles were handed out which was a great relief but didn’t fit the objective of the initiative. Lots of hype around excitement and fun along the course but it was very dry and zero entertainment. Lots of marketing around humantra but zero consumption. Felt a scam”

“For a first time event, it was amazing! The lack of water for the first 10 or so kilometres was a surprise and did make the other half of the run harder. The water stations after the event were also another surprise as by this point all you want is water. I appreciate the aim of no bottles and admire the ambition, the approach though perhaps needs to be reconsidered. Perhaps the reusable blue cups? Or even the blue bottles that can be refilled / swapped at each water station? ”

“Fantastic route, very well organised, already looking forward to next year ”

“Needed more water stands and snacks... some waters stands were out of water as well.”

“need more waster stations - was bad!”

“Nice event but you did not have enough water or food for all the participants. I did not bring snacks as you said they would be provided but there was 0 snacks left when I arrived at the stations (and I ran the whole course - even if I wasn’t fast) so did the race on an empty stomach. At KM 15 I found a guy lying on the ground. I asked him if he needed help and he told me “I just need sugar”. Im sure this was part of the price which is not unjustified. ”

“Hi Guys, Absolutely epic day! Really enjoyed it :-) well done on setting up such an incredible day. Considering it was the first event, it went incredibly smooth. A few areas I can think of, that could help for next time. Improved water stations Clear signs to show how many KM you have run Information on best place for spectators to park/stand if they want to support you during the even Could we get closer to the burj al arab to start or run pass? Maybe not... MASSIVE WELL DONE AGAIN :)”

“One of a kind event. Bring on Burj2Burj round 2 in 2025. ”

“I loved the spirit of the training program and the burj park village. great sponsors and activities. However there was a total miss on water supplies and snacks. I started in the end of the pack the first two stands- nothing left, And then had to fight to get something. I ended up picking up water left on the ground from another runner. It was very stressful. The ambiance on the road underdelivered totally from what was promised on the website. Barely anyone to cheer... ”

“There was no water, hydration or fruit in the first 10km. This was a concern. I am not a fast runner but I was be no means at the back of the group, so there were many people behind me who also would not have water. This is dangerous and not to be expected at these events. ”

“Please refer to my email sent this morning - Mairead flower”

“Provision for toilets and refreshments was extremely poor. Nowhere near enough of both. Long cues for the toilet. None close to race start line. Water stations ran out almost immediately. Only manage to get water at around 16/17km after turning onto 2nd December street. None at the finish either.. I also thought the medal was a bit of a let down. Surely having images of both Burj’s on there would have been better? ”

“Every thing is perfect, but the concept of water station is big failure unfortunately .. every one was suffering. The 2nd point , cut off time is VERY short. Many bingers finished after 3 hrs , so please make it 4 hrs at least”

“It’s was awesome I will do again ”

“There is a shortage of hydration on the route, many runners resorting to purchasing water from grocery shops or filling their bottles from construction sites and villas.”

“Water tables were small, volunteer staff slow to hand out water to participants. Great route and well organized.”

“Very bad I had my first sip of water/Humantra at 12k. All the refreshments for the first 12k were for the first runners. They should have been spread out so we all benefit. I didn’t bring any water as I guaranteed there would be availability on the day! ”

“The race village was great as was the route and bin collection process. However, there was a lack of water on the route as many stations didn’t have water at them by the time runners got there. For next year, I think providing more water would be a necessity. Apart from that, brilliant!”

“1. The hydration area throughout the race is not enough especially in the last part of the race. This include the portable toilet as well 2. The finish line doesn't have an ark that indicates the finish line. 3. The distribution of medals is not organized 4. The hydration area shall be available at the finish line”

“The lack of adequate water stations was dangerous - it's admirable to reduce plastics, but asking runners to stop and refill isn't feasible. It was away past 10km before I managed to get any water. The lack of distance markers was frustrating. The road reopened way too quickly in my opinion, while some of the later participants were ordered to stop to allow cars to pass and (quite rudely) hurried along by stewards who wanted to reopen the road. Enjoyed the route!”

“Everything was great except for the hydration. Will join again next year, thank you for organizing such events.”

“The spot was amazing just I didn’t found water until km 15”

“The vibe was insane cool like a festival”

“route was amazing, vibes as well, but no good identification for the distances , 1st water availability was so far no follow up pictures available or not clear from where to find. ”

“Loved the course. The medal. Loved the fact that no single use plastic water btl was provided. Good value for money. Good atmosphere. Would have been even more successful if you promoted earlier all the sustainable practices. Thank you. ”

“The route was amazing one of the best you can action in dubai . However there was a shortage of water until 14k into the race . I understand how the reusable pouches work as I have raced in other counties with them but it is not safe to run out of water. the first 7/8k are really important for hydration . shockingly low amount of toilets at the start of the race . So many people had to go to the toilet in public which is not good in the Center of dubai . I counted 14 total . ”

“Race course, date and timing was great. One of the biggest draw back are the water stations, there are no adequate water stations. It was disappointing that water was not available for all runners. There were no volunteers at the race Village to help the runners.”

“Not enough water and toilets ”

“Water stations were severly understocked. Directions at the end of the race were poor, had to walk to get the drop bag as opposed to having the drop bag waiting at the finishing line. Severe lack of water /humantra after the finish line”

“Fantastic organization and a great atmosphere ”

“For first 15KM, there was not any food, energy drink left by the time we reached. Water was also available only after 12KM. Also when we reached at finish line, there was not any water or banana served. Most races keep water and banana at just finish line. For Kibson boxes you had to go to village. I feel more attention was paid to media, promotion, markting and not for the people who are running. people threw everything on the ground which made it difficult for other runners. ”

“Great event in general but there was no water at the water stations for the back of the pack. Had to pop into a petrol station to get water which is crazy, and no water on the finish line either. ”

“Amazing race and lovely race”

“Overall very nice, but water management to improve ”

“I enjoyed the race, however the water provision was not sufficient. Opportunities of improvement are just there for next year.”

“Just wish there was more water earlier on”

“For an estimated 3600+ runners, there were a measly 12 bathroom stalls at the start of the race which led to long lines and racers missing the starting gun or arriving late. While the idea of a plastic water bottle-free race was commendable, it was disappointing to see the bottles (and in fact all water) run out at the early aid stations , a complete lack of water at the finish, & a 5-10 min walk to purchase water after the race, laughably in plastic bottles. No visible race wardens along route.”

“Running route - 5/5 Support stations 0- 10 km - 2/5 Support stations 10- 21.1 km - 4/5 Race briefing- 4/5 Post race village experience - 5/5 Toilet facility starting point - 2.5/5 Toilet facility finishing point - 5/5 Overall experience :4.5/5 ”

“Hello, I am Iryna Podgorna and I was together with my husband Mishin Aleksandr, We have done late registration, so almost 600 AED for two people! For three stations onwards was NOTHING, forget about some food, No WATER! after 15 km we finally had water, banana and bars, medals are horrible, not even mentioned half marathon. ”

“Great organisation, race park was amazing, great route!”

“It was not enough water last 10km”

“Great race, perfect temperature, good conditions for running fast.”

“Event was great except the water stops. The first three water stops had no more water when I passed them running for the 2 hr finish mark ”

“I know its the first event of this race, but definitely the small details of what a race MUST have completely were missed. The lack of water in each station was a really BIG fault. Not having enough restrooms, hydration, medical attention. I think you should check this for the next race and if you are thinking in not generate plastic think about other alternatives or have enough for ALL the participants. Another thing, what you promised in the fee they missed socks, beer. ”

“ran out of water at first aid station, no electrolytes available at any station for runners not in the front group. ”

“It’s very nice experience to join that marathon!”

“Very well organised event and great route.”

“Great route, good organisation. The start was very awkward with the seeding.”

“Lovely atmosphere, amazing finishing line and the showers were fantastic!! Wish I had jumped in an ice bath but that’s on me, won’t make that mistake again! Thanks for a lovely day”

“Not organised well and not worth it for price ”

“Really enjoyed the views and the event was well organized!”

“Never do it again Disappointed really, I missed the race I and my son because of lack of information I couldn’t open the pdf and I tried to contact the organizers by call, WhatsApp and email many many time but no response until now, even I ask the goodie bag after the race to have the t-shirt for my son at least but still no response Hope you deliver this message to the organizers and let them respect the participants Tamem 0529953503”

“would have provided 10 of 10, had the water station conveniently organized for the runner. It was water coolers, runners have to wait and fill and take it. Should not think sustainability ahead of the operations? If they are to arrange similar way, water cups should have filled and kept to take it. And also even water coolers were out of water by mid group of runners. Otherwise well organized event. Hats off to the organizers. Cheers! ”

“Greta vibe, lots of fun. Not enough water. Not enough women's toilets. More sign posts for/ shuttles / km markers would be great. Relay change over, not clearly signposted or visible. ”

“amazing gggg jj ooo pp”

“1) Hydration Station were not managed properly. Most station were out of supplies 2) The traffic was managed in such a way that for long distances we were running alongside cars standing on the side with engine on and fumes coming out”

“Well entertaining route. Race route nutrition support failed in the initial 10kms, may be just enough for few runners, runners were seen buying water from shops, filling from filters which came by. The soft flask utilization was poor, no awareness with runners, was bad to see the idea ending up adding more waste rather than being reused-going green. Fort.. or unfort.. did not get to use a single soft flask, runners were seen trying used soft flasks was unhygenic out of desperation”

“No water Poor organization No t shirts !”

“Positives: Great route, great weather, organoides start and finish zones. Negatives: limited capacity hydration stops and limited toilet stops. There always a line on toilets and water stations on the way. Which is not ideal. I did not stop so I don’t waste time. ”

“- Not enough toilets at the start - Would be good to easier see if the provided liquid during the race contains water or other liquid - the total distance was a bit to long?”

“Horrible. Promising the world about well stocked water stations. Reality - all empty! ”

“Slow runner did not get much supply. Even the first 10km no water.”

“Great event and route. First water stop was lacking but generally excellent organising with very kind and welcoming staff at the event ”

“Lack of water was a nightmare - couldn’t fill cups quick enough for runners. Ended up buying water from a shop on route and saw people asking passing cyclists for water ”

“Over all event was organized well . However, water not available @ some of water stations . It could have been organized in this case. ”

“Great course concept. Great participation. BUT As the event starts and finishes at different locations it would be nice to be able to drop personals at the start, waiting for you at the finish. ( ie: Nice/Cannes Marathon) Water. unpractical flasks ended up altogether on the ground. No indications of type of hydration. Time wasters. Queue for water and hydration again after the confusing, odd and unwelcoming finish line totally disconnected from the after race village. ”

“There was no water for the first 14km. It’s ok to do no plastic but you need to prepare runners and give everyone a refillable bottle in their pack”

“Negatives: Very poor planning on water/ refreshments along the route and also after the finish line. Athletes had to walk another 500 Mt's after finish to Burj park for water and fruits! No cheering squads! Positives: Route/ track was awesome and fun. Burj park! ”

“It was my first half-marathon experience . It was amazing ”

“There was no water for the last runners in the 3 first stations meaning no water or energy in the first 10 km. Also no water at the finish line. Otherwise well organised and a great route. ”

“I suggest you put up more signs with the km along the route. In this way, runners are able to adjust better to the running”

“Previous resident of Dubai, it was a pleasure to be back for this half marathon!I love the t shirt that I’ll wear a lot for my running sessions! Good ambiance along the way. Nice route: Very flat with beautiful views! The only but important negative point: I didn’t bring any water to support the sustainable action. There was not enough water! It was a shame not having water for the 1st ten km as all the flasques were already taken by the fastest runners! Hope to be back next year ! ”

“no water bottles in the finish line at all, unacceptable. Not easy to identify water from energy drinks in the race, which i am intolerant. Were placed in same bottle, which was hard to open ”

“Fantastic event, will do it again!”

“Never do it again Disappointed really, I missed the race I and my son because of lack of information I couldn’t open the pdf and I tried to contact the organizers by call, WhatsApp and email many many time but no response until now, even I ask the goodie bag after the race to have the t-shirt for my son at least but still no response Hope you deliver this message to the organizers and let them respect the participants Manhal 0529953503”

“Less water Not enough t-shirts size m and s”

“It was very well organized and a lot of fun. Also all the merch and lunchbox at the end was amazing. Definitely worth to do it again next year :)”

“Worst event organization i have seen in my life”

“Fantastic event and a great route. I will definitely run this event again. The only issue was with the water. I understand that this was a plastic free event, and i support that, but some water stations ran out of drink and at others it took too long to get water.”

“Here are some feedback: 1. You should have corrals at the start line based on people's past timings to avoid the crowd at the start line 2. The runners have not received their official timing neither via SMS nor via email 3. There were no visible aid or hydration stations in the first half of the race. This is a big problem 4. There was hardly any water available at the finish line. There was 1 hydration station, but it had a long queue. This is a huge problem 5. No breakfast at the finish line”

“The first 2 hydration stations ran out of water !”

“it was indeed exhilarating experience, my first ever 21km run, looking forward to join next year!”

“Very well organized and fun activities ”

“- no food provided - no results communicated - No arch at arrival ”

“Really badly planned, All the water stations had run out of water.I managed to get some at 13k(approx) had to queue to get water. Just use bottle and ensure there is enough. You say u are being sustainable, there are many other ways to do this without being dangerously low on water and interrupting runner’s rhythm. Secondly, there were only 8 toilets per gender, I had to queue for 45 mins to use the toilet. This meant I started the run 10mins late . Shockingly bad organisation ”

“DURING THE RACE ISSUE WAS WITH WATER. ONE OF STATION WATER WAS IN THE DRAMS AND ER HAD TO QIUE TO FILL WATER IN THE PAPER CUPS..I personally carried small bottle of water from my car before start. Normally i do not carry bottle of water while running. i got finally water after 10km or 12 KM running. at 2nd December flag finally got water. otherwise the race was prefect. thank you very much to all of whom got involved organising the race. ”

“It was a great moment”

“One of my initial disappointments was during the race pack collection process. To my dismay, T-shirt size was unavailable, so I had to settle for a kid-sized T-shirt. Most importantly, there were issues with poor hydration organization during the event. I essentially completed my half marathon thanks to a good Samaritan who handed me a 250ml water bottle. I observed other runners resorting to drinking from free taps from house to house.”

“Great course, great atmosphere, just some issues with the feed/water stations, need to be smoother and better equipped. ”

“Poorly organised, almost no water at the stations”

“Needs more adjustments to the support, but everything is on the right track. ”

“very well organised event, well done all”

“No water before 10k was a bit anxiety-inducing but after that it was abundant, so ok”

“no water on the first 2 stations, overall was great!!! sone of this details need to be improved going foward... thanks !!!”

“water - not enough. Soft flasks were a waste - people dropped them as if they were single use. I went through several water stations without any water available for me. ”

“Hi this was my first half marathon n yes I was slow . Most water stations were out of water when I reached there . This was totally a nono after paying so much to register . ”

“No toilets at the starting line. ”

“Best experience for half marathon, with the fittest group in Dubai.”

“Fastastic, well organised race.. I will definitely do it anytime”

“Water was a real issue. The first three water stations I ran past had no water which is not right!!!”

“Just a few more water stops, it wasn’t as bad as people are making out but I had a camel back, without that I might have struggled so I can see their point ”

“Water supply were limited Safety Safety Safety Cars before City walk were passing through the cones. Overall experience was good ”

“the issue was the water on the course. up to 10-12 k only empty tables no water at all, no dispenser etc . after that there were plenty of water / electrolytes bottles offered . toilets also was an issue starting line 4 ladies toilets for so many ladies ...and at the end one toilet , the public ones were closed and only one portacabin ....these are the only 2 issues i noticed. ”

“Overall, it was a good event and a spectacular setting; however, as an experienced runner, I found the organisation of the course wasn't great. I know it was a first-time event, but I hope this feedback helps. To me, it seemed like there was a lot of focus on the village rather than the race itself. There wasn't enough water on the course, and I waited 8km before my first sip of water. I was excited to see how the no-water bottle concept worked, but unfortunately, it didn't work at all. ”

“Overall a great event. However there were some things to think k about next time. 1 - toilets - only 8 for females and 4 for men (plus urinals at the start). Wholly inadequate, I waiting in the queue at 5.15am and didn't get in until almost 5.30am. The queue was even larger by then so I'm sure people.missed the start. 2 - water. This needs to be signposted, I missed (as did many others) the first water station. Then the second was empty. I did not get a drink until 10km or so in. ”

“Not enough water at first station. Not enough water at finish line ”

“There was no water or drinks till halfway. I was running with the 2.09 pacer and all drinks were unavailable by the time we got to any station. Was a very poor experience. After halfway, I ended up having to queue a minute for a water from a cup, wasting time. ”

“Better water stations...and availability of water for all runners, including the ones at the back”

“It was great experience as it was my first marathon ”

“Event overall was great, just the water organisation was not great. Although I understand the sustainable approach of refilling bottle it is not feasible in this sort of setting where you are running and cannot stop. This was my main issue. Otherwise the rest of the event was well organised. ”

“Hydration facilities in the first 6to 6kms was very poorly organized”

“Brilliant event and great weekend. 1 recommendation would be for more water availability at all the stations during the race and especially more, for after the race! (At the finish line and minimum double the ”

“Arrangement of hydration wasn't good. People didn't have information about logistics. Was difficult for someone who is new in the city. ”

“There was no water at the finish line. Apart from that it was well organized”

“We struggled with water on the track and at the finish line not enough at all”

“Overall, a good event. Especially after finish line. Could have been much better water stations during and after the race. ”

“Water management was awful : i did not get a flask before km10...and it was sweet water. On the finish line when you are literally dehydrated you have no water available you have to queue for ages to fill in your flask! If you want to be sustainable on D-Day : stop traffic next to runners (we inhaled exhaust smokes the whole way on our right)!! If you want to be sustainable in Dubai : reduce 4x4 drive cars, reduce A/C, reduce plastic everywhere But don't cut water on a marathon day to athletes! ”

“Lack of water at water stations and inadequate supply of oranges / bananas and other supplements.”

“Great route. Amazing race village set up. Deal breaker was the first 2 hydration stops we weren’t able to get drinks which affected my pace because we are not sure if this would be the case in the next stops. Hopefully not the case next time as I would still like to join again.”

“Water station not appropriate for the type of marathon”

“Organization was terrible. Water was big issue for all runners. They were proud for being eco friendly but in reality this not true. All runners start going to petrol stations to buy water Honestly i dont recommend this race at all”

“Water station was very bad organized , street with full of banana and orange , which could easy get anyone injured , mixed bib numbers when finding results or photos , honestly one of most bad organized races i done in uae in past 5 years .. ”

“Serious lack of water enroute and no humantra left. 16 toilets for 4000 runners at the start is appalling. Badly thought out ”

“The organization has to do better for the water / electrolytes supply at the stops . Very important! During the race it was a little boring , many kilometers that are straight ! At the end it is INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL!!!! I loved it ! Loved also the park where everyone gathered and did sport activities! Thank you Dubai ! ????”

“I would like to add about the soft flask bottle. This flask should be added in our goody bags, the flask is usable specially for us as an ultra runners, and it’s better to give than to throw. When I saw them yesterday that all on the floors, I feel really sad, If I had a chance to pick up them all, I would love it. ”

“No access to water for the first 10km”

“The lack of water and gels during the race was crazy!! It was promised there would be water throughout the race, but there was no available water until 14km with all other water stations running out. Need to add more toilets, 16 toilets at the race start for 4,000+ people is not right, it took 45 mins for people to wait for the toilet!! Fun route, and a very cool concept, but needs a lot of improvement operationally!”

“There was not enough water at the water stops. We were told we would get a waterbottle at 5k, but we did not. ”

“There is no longer a T-shirt size available. I paid AED 283, and getting this limited service is very annoying. There was no proper hydration water supplement during the race, many of my co-runners were struggling because of a lack of hydration.”

“INCREDIBLE WOW WOW WOW WOW ”

“First of all thank you for the beautiful event in terms of location wise and timing. But there’s a big gap in regards to the water distribution implementation and your strategy of no bottles anymore campaign besides there’s no single pain relief on the track. Guys work on these important points to provide an excellent experience Thanks, ”

“Although water management was a bit of an issue at some points. Overall this event was well organized and I enjoyed participating to this race between two iconic locations. ”

“You promised electrolytes at every station Wasn't available The disposable pouches for water wasn't there too”

“I loved the event, great organisation and very friendly. Only thing I would change is move the cars to one side of the road if possible, sometimes we're quite close”

“Route was great, one of the nicest in Dubai. Water stations were a huge challenge as I only managed to get some water by the 15th KM. I saw staff buying plastic water bottles which defeats the whole purpose of no plastic!. Something are best kept as is (I.e plastic water bottles) Hopefully this will be fixed next year. ”

“For an even "created by runners for runners", the decision to let go of water bottles in favor of re-fill stations is a bizarre one. No runner will stand in line to fill their water bottle. You just grab the bottle from station and go. Another criticism is the bag drops were hard to find after the race. I literally asked the tent next to it where's the bag-drop, and they shrugged. Turned out it was behind that tent. Lovely course though. #LetsMakeWaterBottlesGreatAgain”

“The location, race village, etc was good but they missed out on a basic crucial thing for runners which was providing water and electrolytes. For half-marathoners, it was really difficult since there was no water available at the stations.”

“Big problems with water. I was able to drink water for the first time at 15km.”

“The proposed system with the water was a good try, but just doesn’t work. I knew it from the very beginning, this is why I carried my 1.5 l of water with me the whole time. But heard many complains of people upset since they didn’t have water and others stopping in front of houses in cues to fill up bottles. Gel should be giving to the runners with the running kit. In the end line to receive medals and again no water before you get to the village. It was a nice event, but could be better. ”

“As of Monday noon the results r not posted as this should be online. Pls make this more efficient Water stations were too small and the runners had to queue to get a soft bottle. Bottles hard to open too. For next year, pls ensure there is plenty of water available at the arrival area. There was only one (1) stop and the queue was ridiculous long. This is super important. I had to walk down to Burj park to get the water. The rest was all well organized and looking forward to the next year”

“Roma loved it, it was great to the kids ”

“Most importantly the first two water stops were out of water! I ran a 2:10 half, so solidly middle of the pack. Yeet. I water, cups, volunteeers. Etc. I had to stop of the side of the road to get water from a fountain. The Humantra promised along the route was nonexistent the entire time. I counted on both of these (water and Humantra) for the race. Really poor planning. I also expected race support along the way (cheer stations, music, etc). I flew in from abroad for this race. Disappointed.”

“The marathon could have been better organized, the events team did have any information on the relay shuttle location had to move back and forth to figure it out after asking multiple personnel. Also once the first relay partner completed his leg had to wait for half an hour for the shuttle which was very inconvenient and additionally the bus drop was almost 2 kilometers from the finish line ”

“No enough water stations, shuttle bus for the relay was unreliable. Ended up doing the full marathon to get to the finish line ”

“What an amazing experience, well done to the organizers of the inaugural run!! I look forward to next year! ”

“Water stations did not have enough water or some without any drinks. The public were giving out water to us! People were picking them up off the floor because they had ran out so early. No gels at any station, poor organisation of the whole event. Not enough toilets at the start line, the queues were massive. No water at the finish line, every other half marathon I have done gives you this when you finish. Very poorly organised, not what I expected. ”

“It was absolutely iconic and amazing”

“- the condition of the route was perfect, roadside view was impressive - too few toilets at starting point. Queues for female toilet were quite long, some were cheating on queue so I get rid of it and went to start point. I saw some male runners were peeing aside the main road (on the wall of house) which was disgusting - Rack of water. At first and second water point the booth was empty when I reached there. Too much trash on the road. I couldn’t find water station at goal point.”

“1) There were a total of 14 toilets for, what I believe, were approximately 4000 participants. The queues were far too long to be able to use the toilet which meant lots of people were using nearby bushes. 2) There was no communication that the far right lane would be open to traffic. This could have resulted in an accident. 3) The water stations were particularly badly organized, with the second station having no water left when we arrived. At the third we had to stop and fill our own cup. ”

“Great course, but needed more drinks available at the finish - not just the single water refill station (which was quite a way from the finish line).”

“Very poorly organised. We were made to stand in queue for over an hour for the bibs, only to be told that bibs are not required for children. Why did you not inform us of the same ? Why was an SMS sent about the bib number ? If that was an error, why want another SMS sent saying - " NO NEED FOR BIB COLLECTION FOR CHILDREN". These are such basic things which any basic company can organise. ”

“Well organized event, great route, good distribution of food and drinks stations but running passed parked cars, running, with exhausts fumes polluting the track, was less pleasant (and likely unhealthy). Potentially police can ask drivers to turn off their cars when awaiting the runners to pass, or block off the streets completely”

“it was very fine and well organized”

“No water for the first 12.5km unacceptable. No marshalls on route. Would have expected to run closer to the beach to enjoy scenery. ”

“Bad signed food and water stations, must be indicated early on the running way so runners can prepare and fall over each others. Not enough water, was not available on some stations. Running beside cars which blow out co2 for 1 hour. Against the healthy sport idea. All the rest was great and i take it with me as a nice experience ”

“Only 10 toilets at start of race for 10000+ entries. No water for first 15km. Had people putting mouth on water jugs. Will not attend again.”

“The route was amazing, race pack collections smooth and straightforward. I even applauded that the organisers wanted to limit the use of single use plastic but there just wasn't enough water available for people to drink especially the first 4 stations, lucky it was cooler and I was very grateful I decided to bring my water with me! I'd be very happy to give some advice having participated in a number of long distance runs in South Africa keeping runners safe and ticking the sustainability box ”

“Congrats to the organizers for a flawless execution of the race. Here’s to many more! ”

“There is no water anywhere at the finish zone”

“Hoping there’s full marathon route as well :) ”

“The pre-race FAQ made it difficult to understand where the race was going to finish. The doc included multiple finish points! However, the most startling experience was the lack of water during the first 10K of the race. It was shocking! It endangered the welfare of runners. Forget "plastic free", it was reckless to have such an approach. Long queues for water refills even at the race end. Very poor! There hasn't been any acknowledgement or apology. ”

“The route was great. Hydration support was poor. Did not find water point till 10km when the humantra bottles became available. Even there only water was there, and no electrolytes... ”

“Epic route and lovely touches with the medals and all the small details. ”

“The race course was nice. 1- However I couldn’t get any water before 10km. And after that the water tables were crowded and it took few min to get the water cup filled as some runners were taking their time filling their bottles. 2- We couldn’t get our t shirt size although the size was given during the registration. So we ended up with huge t-shirts that we can’t wear. 3- bit disappointed with the medal, we were expecting to have the 2 landmark of the race on it. ”

“No water on the course. Ended up drinking water from bottles thrown away by other runners. Not pleasant and dangerous. The nutrition was date bars and rock hard bananas... not gels - not easy to eat whilst running and with no water. Also not enough distance signage on the course.”

“The water system is the worst. Water system should be professional for a race. Toilets needs to be arranged better specially at the beggining Transportation should be arranged to all ppl since the location of the start/ end are different ”

“More water stations at the arrival. For first time, it was very well executed! Love the arrival, the ambiance and the crowd. My special appreciation goes to the plastic free initiative: totally agree with that! Next year, pls have the race bibs ready earlier in the week.  I will definetly do it again:)”

“Could have had water more frequently available, especially at the finish line. Aside from that, it was very well organised and a fantastic event!”

“Would be great to have 1km marking on road to help with the mental pushing towards the finish.”

“Everything was amazing about this event, apart from not providing enough toilets near the start line. The queues were so long, meaning lots of runners started their run much later than they should have ”

“The water stations were not adequate for the number of runners. Water stations should be spread out further on both sides of the road to avoid over crowding. It seems in some areas, the water wasn't sufficient. Also at the finish line, there was no water available Apart from that, fantastic event ”

“There was no proper 'finish line'/timer clock. i know, no biggie but i think that would nice for future. Then just 2 water dispensers with a 10min queue right on the finish line so there was just a mass of people at the end... with water/toilets being 10m from the finish line. I was desperate for a drink obviously after running 21k. ??? maybe be given a water and banana or at least more water dispensers. I was dying! ”

“The event was exceptionally poorly organised. It seems that it only catered for around 500 participants. Water ran out at the 7km mark within 30 minute, many water points had no water. There were no instructions to keep left, so many participants were running between cars. There was no water at the finish line!! A great route, but the event was very poorly managed!!”

“Good organisation - great event - great race - very positive vibe throughout”

“Overall I really enjoyed the event - thought it was great, and would definitely do it again. Feedback: - There were (almost) no distance signs..the first I saw was at 20km - though I gather there was a 10km sign too. I personally assumed these would be there - I don't have a smart watch and was relying on this. - The Burj Park afterwards was great - just a shame that no-one stayed around..I guess everyone was exhausted, but if there is a way to encourage people to stay it would be great! ”

“It's difficult putting on a race of this magnitude and you guys did so much well. Things to improve on 1. Start Line - More bathrooms and never make the elites/very fast animaters wait. They have so much nervous energy that you are better off letting them fly in a first wave. Everyone else can follow. 2. Aid Stations - I am sure everything will mention this but you do need more water filled in paper cups. Additionally, always encourage people to bring their own water bottles. ”

“The event was fantastic and greatly organized. The downfall was the water stations. Please try to make these better so all athletes can pick up drinks along the way. There were several stations in a row with no water or very warm water. ”

“Finish line needs work. As a minimum the medals should be straight after the line rather than further down. The hydration station was rammed so I couldn't get a drink until I got to the stalls on the village/expo area. Toilets at the start were not sign posted when arriving via the souk. ”

“Lack of water ...need more water stations and specially at the finished line..”

“Great event, thank you and well done”

“There was problem with water and toilet. First station which has enough water for ppl was station on 10km! This reusable tubes was huge mistake, not eco friendly for sure. AND on finish line again no water! First water was next to stage, 1km after finish line? Now Toilet, one toilet only next to station during the run, definitely not enough! In Europe they put 8-10 toilet cabins every few kilometers. I love the vibe, but they failed with water and toilet ”

“Very well organised in terms of route and road closures- full safety considerations were made throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed the run itself and the race village was also great too. A great experience for my first half marathon. ”

“Nice Route. Distribution of water could improve. Athlete village was fun although could do with more seating. ”

“Needs moooree improvement . I am expecting that this Burj2Burj will be somewhat different from the other even since this is a a first event for Burj2burj route. Water is not present in the finished line . Finisher medal is small and forgot to mention the km or even the word half-marathon ? Atleast , there are games , raffle draw in the event that makes a bit fun. Thank you to all organizers.”

“An excellent course and race villager. However, poor hydration on course as well as aggressive security guys detracted from the final event. But overall, I would do again with some tweaks.”

“needs more info on mileage left ”

“Lack of easily accessible and drinkable water along the course and at the finish line Lack of timely information on race finishing times”

“The water stations (especially for 5 & 10km) were very poorly organized at least 20% of runners didn't get any water, this is a major mistake in such events. I have seen runners going to grocery stores, gas stations to buy their own water... It's a shame...”

“There was no water to drink at the finish line....”

“Heavy traffic on the course and poor selection of options at aid stations. The "Reduce waste" initiative was a joke - everyone was throwing out their multi-use silicone bottles creating even more waste as those will be harder to recycle.”

“It was very well organized, but please improve the water supply along the race! On the first 10 km I couldn’t catch any single water bottle, not available at all or lack of people giving it. We shouldn’t stop to drink water, this is a race! Thanks for everything and keep up the good work!”

“You needed more water stations but other then that all good ”

“Hi we did not find water after a distance of 15 km. In long distances, it is necessary to have water available after the middle of the distance,,, because the athlete has reached a high effort stage”

“Start could have done with some basic split between faster and slower runners as first couple of km of course had the 2+ hour runners mixed up but the event was truly amazing- the route perfectly prepared and well policed and marshalled, and it felt like a 5* event. So please the start point is a refinement of something that could easily take the honor or best half marathon in the country!!! Well done ”

“Incredible amazing experience and a great organized run”

“No water!!!! Nooo enough water !!!! Why?”

“I was totally upset cause of the water and toilet issue whenever i reach to water station I didn’t see any water lift for me and the reason was totally not acceptable that you only the water for elite Racers and this affect my stamina all the way to the finish line, it is really unbelievable what happened specially we’ve asked this question if we need to keep water with us and the answer was no we have stations every 5k, moreover the medal design was not in the level of the competition ”

“Overall great experience! Few glitches at the water station: Not enough people Not enough water Not enough toilets at the starting line and along the route At the finish line, no more water ”

“The event was overall fantastic and well organised. It has the legs to become the most sought event in UAE. In fact the recent held Dubai marathon should match these standards. Only drawback which was not well planned was the water stations and water supply. This bit needs to be tought through properly the next time.”

“Need WAY more toilets at the start and during the race. Water ran out at some stations for the final runners - these are the most vulnerable athletes and this shouldn't happen. Consider staging the start for appropriate run speeds.”

“No water at several stations, no nutrition from nutrition partner at any of the stations. While attempt to be green and not offer plastic bottles is commendable or should not come at the expense of participants not having water. The coolers should be refilled often until all participants are through not just the fast runners. The reusable bottles that were advertised were not available at all.. There should also be more restrooms/port a potties at the starting.. very long lines”

“No water available at the end of the race”

“long distance running is all about providing enough water for participants, and honestly, the decision that the organizer chose not to provide bottled water (i understand all about sustainability thing) was one of the worst decisions ever made in a race.. its un-believable that a runner have to stop to fill up a cub or flask he have with him and also all the soft flasks in water station one, two and three are finished when we passed, and all the flasks are thrown around on the street. ”

“There was no water, the streets were full of ‘recyclable water bottles’, and the markings were not very clear - the only nice thing was the route. ”

“My favourite race in the UAE so far. The energy, the route, the race village and the crowds all made it so!”

“Excellent organisation and support during the race. The only negative would be starting everyone at the same time causing a bottleneck. Maybe a staggered start would be better.”

“Poor management, there was no water during the run till 10km as this finished by the time we reached there. No facility of bag drops in bur Al arab. ”

“Hello Burj2Burj !! I think this is the WORST 1/2 Marathon that I have ever participated in and I have done several in my life!! 1. NO WATER !!! I was passing 3 stations in a row with NO WATER available!!!!! I couldn’t believe it !!!! 2. NO WATER on the finishing line either —- had to walk to the Burj Park and standing in a long queue with 3 small water stations to fill up our bottles !!! Unbelievable!!! 3. ALLOWING CARS ! driving next to the runners on JBR - Al Wasl road - inhaling exhaust!!!”

“Decent event which I think will become one of the big players in the Dubai race scene. A few minor details to iron out like lack of toilets at the start, drink stations could be simplified, start seeded and follow the elite, but in general a great event with a great route and finish. ”

“Really enjoyed it, but the only issue was there was no water at the finish line for the people who finished over 2 hours. There should have been more water during the race instead of Humantra. A lot of people don't like Humantra. Overall though, I liked it. ”

“I was so excited about this event. Unfortunately, there were some organizational issues that did not make it an enjoyable experience. 1. Not enough water in the first 8k. This was terrible! -One of my friends who started at the back did not get water until 15k! -the finish line! Where was the arch? It was a real anticlimax that you couldn’t see it from the approach, and you only realise when the people in front of you suddenly stop. Mile/km markers. I think I saw one on the whole route ”

“Due to the lack of water bottles left at the stations, I was not able to get water until 10km into the race which impacted my second half of the run as I was dehydrated ”

“The organizators should improve water station during the race and water station after, it was a lack of water after the race”

“There were not enough toilets for everyone at the start. People were queing and almost missed the run because of that. There was not enough fruit at the stations for everyone. Water in the cups was offered in a very inhegienic way. Those blue plastic bottles were everywhere on the road, causing great pollution (consider paper cups next time). There was no finish line (very anticlimactic). It has been more than 24 hours and I still haven't received my times and ranking. ”

“nice experience. good route and event overall”

“Iconic event but poor execution of sustainability stand on water bottle as runners were exhausted and dehydrated as no water available in most station particularly the finish line. ”

“PreEvent communication could have been better, allowing participants to plan when to collect their bibs. Distribution of water along the route could have been better managed. Drinking from open top cups while running is not convenient. ”

“No water at the first many stations ”

“The best half marathon organizer I had attended. Awesome. Great job guys.”

“محطات توزيع الماء لم تقم بدورها بالشكل المطلوب ”

“Watetr was not freely available. This was a major problem. Electrolytes were strewn across the road (plastic) but water was hard to find. I had to ask for it in the race, 3 times. Also at the end there was no water and not much food - and the green bananas weren't edible. Hope the water issue is sorted for next year!”

“Amazing day and loved every minute of it.”

“Extremly poorly organised. All but one water station had run out of water by the time I went through. The reusable bottles were a disaster because everyone just threw them on the floor, creating a hazard and a disgusting mess. There weren't nearly enough toilets at the start, the queues were 20 mins at least. And there was also no water at the finish line, meaning I had to ask a spectator because I was so desperate. We were also forced to wait 2 mins to let traffic through on Jumeirah Road ”

“Hydration station is not good.. taking time to fill your own flask.”

“Poorly organised on all levels. Expected as much on race day after the shambles at bib collection. ”

“Fantistic course but bad organization. Waiting 25 minutes in line for bib pick-up (at 3:30 pm on friday which was likely the least busy time). Zero email communication. Some conflicting information on the website (Bib pick-up indicated to be at Coca Cola Arena on the website while at Burj Park on the downloadable race pack). First water station was just before 8km (way too late) and was tiny, after 30 seconds waiting in line there gave up. No results so far, more than a day after the race.”

“I am giving 8 because first 2 water station were out of water which made me worry. Rest all was great and amazing”

“NIce vibe / event and a lot of glossy marketing, but organisers fell short on the basics: first water station was short on supply (!!), and having only 1 tap / fountain at the finish line (even though there were plenty a the race village) was definitely not enough for 3,000 athletes”

“Very well organized, village was amazing, and the circuit was really good. Unique issue was the water delivery. The idea of sustainability was pretty nice, however in the first 2-3 stations, for the people at the end of the run, there were no water, nothing basically.”

“The lack of water was very disappointing, it was 12k before there was water available. Some water tents had no person to man them and also had ran out of water. No water available at the finish line. There was no gels available as promised. At the start the traffic was quiet and people were running outside the cones. However, eventually there was a lot of traffic at a speed that if a person had headphone in and went outside the cone to over take it could be serious”

“It was a good run, I would do again. However it promised a lot of things at the service stations (humantra, gels) and on the day there wasn’t even water available! I ran 21k with only a 500mL plastic bottle of water given by a random police man… ”

“The run path was beautiful but there was lack of aid stations and half of them didnt have water. Even at the finish line there was no water provided but we had to walk into Burj park to queue at a water station. Very bad if you are a runner. Also the flasks that were supposed to avoid plastic waste were lying around at the floor everywhere. They were too small anyway (maybe 100 ml max) and completely useless. Nobody was wearing the running belt. ”

“Overal was an OK experience, great route, lots of sign ups but couple things that stood out that require attention and improvement: 1/ Water stations - there wasnt any water for the first 11km.. it couldnt be that its just for the elites. This was a main problem to be honest 2/ Traffic blocks. There were cars going left and right at some point without blockage. There were some dangerous situations where people running for water and almost hit by cars. It should be better seperated”

“Was not able to drink any water as most of the point were out of it when I reached. Also no bananas for late comers. This should be considered for next time to give ample water and food for not only for the fast comers but also for late comers. Have not seen result information in the website. I don't know how the split time info is going to be shared. Otherwise it was well organized ”

“It was a great race, but there was not enough water along the route nor at the end. There was not clear sign posts for things, once we finished the race we could not see where to go.”

“Except hydration everything was perfect . It was hard to find water station ”

“NOT enough supplements DURING the race ”

“Water stations well not organized well”

“Not enough water at the stations ”

“Brilliant and well organised !!”

“Water stations need improvement. Other areas of the race enjoyable. ”

“Fantastic event with, a great vibe and awesome support!”

“Good parts and Thank you for these: (1) Route is okay, with elevation/hilly part which is quite challenging. (2) Medal is nice, simple, yet impressive (3) Shirt and breakfast are also fine. Not so good parts and need improvements please if possible to consider: (1) HYDRATION/WATER - especially this is half marathon, standard water station should at least every 2.5KM. Please make sure of this in your future races. (2) Road closure - SAFETY first. vehicles running also with the runners? come on!”

“What a disappointing event… Came for the bib pick up- you ran out of t-shirts. The day of the race - promised water, energy bars, electrolytes, fruits…. Nothing was there! The first 2 stations ran out of water!!! No plastic? How can you organize an event and run out of water! Thank god some children were standing on the side walk and bought water for people! The stations were empty! I got half a banana at the end of the race! Burj park? You are selling running shoes and t-shirts?!? Terrible”

“The hype was good, Race Expo was great from bib pick up to bag drop with entertainment and all that jazz, it's really good. But then race day happened and as a runner, I would have expected actual water and proper water at water stations. Also water being handled properly not like the cups are being scooped inside the jug and handed to me with the volunteers fingers way deep inside the cup with water. I appreciate the initiative of no plastic bottles in races but this is still an epic fail.”

“Overall a great experience. Fantastic route. First two aid stations ran out of water so some room for improvement there.”

“Good event organised. Enough water stations gel fruits toilets.. Good work Burj2burj team keep it up”

“lack of water on finish line”

“All great. Only thing was inhaling car exhaust while running alongside cars”

“Very bad and poor organisation. Disappointed ?”

“Lack of hydration in 1st 10km and in Finish Line, considering that it was a Half Marathon ?”

“The event itself was brilliant enjoyed it a lot. Couple of comments for next year: - Toilets, the start of the race had no where near the correct amount of toilet facilities. I think there was 4000 people running Men's toilet had 3 cubicles. Females maybe had 6-8. This needed to be 4-5x the amount. A lot of people including me were queuing for 30+ minutes. I think the race had actually started already before I joined the runners. - was not clear enough about the water refills”

“Very well organised....water ran out at some stops but on the whole it was lovely”

“I thought the course was quite boring overall, although I did like the sunset views throughout part of it. It was quite disappointing that a number of the pop-ups in the Burj Park at the end were either empty, had run out of stock or not open at all. The most disappointing thing for me though, was the lack of water stations. One at the finish line with a huge queue and then not another one until you reach Burj Park - and then only one again - I found ridiculous for people who had just run 21km. ”

“The water stations were so bad. And there were supposed to be 6 water stations and there were only about 4. There was no water or cups at about 3 of the water stations. At one point I had to put my head underneath the funnel to get water because of the lack of cups. Water is VITAL for these long distant races. So I was very disappointed in this. There were also no oranges or humantra by the time I reached which is also just unacceptable. Also no water or snacks for people at finish line. ”

“Amazing run yesterday. Just need more photographers :)”

“First two water stations didn’t have water by the time the two hour group arrived. Runners ran across the road to get water from taps outside villas. Later stations were better. Traffic being allowed is a big risk and danger to runners”

“No water at any aid station for the first 10km was very disappointing and quite dangerous in the heat. Everything else was very well organised. ”

“There was no water at the water stations. No Humantra as mentioned in the email although the race is sponsored by the hydration company”

“Absolutely loved this race. Super medals... t shirts and the village awesome. Loved the route ... and the vibe. I didn't manage to find water before about 11 or 12kms.. not sure how I missed it, but got water and Hunantra thereafter and love my flask. Also the queues for water at the end were a little long. Got a super box from kibsons and easily to find a taxi. Well done on organsing an incredible event. ”

“Lack of water on race and toilets at the start but a nice route and good race village”

“Not enough water at early stops. Otherwise well organized and enjoyable.”

“No water at the first 2-3 water stations. All other aspects were great”

“the water stations were without water, and didn't find it sustainable as it was advertise. ”

“Great event water stations could have been better managed, waisted a lot of time refilling waters when the flasks were not availabled”

“Great, first half marathon. Will do it next year ”

“Good work, well managed event.”

“No water at the water stations or finish line ”

“Amazing, i enjoyed my first time to join in half marathon.”

“Fantastically organised event, well communicated instructions prior to the event. Great quality running shirts and a tremendous experience all round. Only one small negative was the first/second drink stations ran out of water.”

“First two water stops were empty”

“Water supply was not enough. Entertainment on the road was average. Running on the road with car next to you not health and not safe. The village was fantastic!! ”

“Finish line should have been more visible. Course was slightly longer than standard distance.”

“Great race. Some improvements required related to Water during race and at finish, as well as toilet availability.”

“Very poorly organized half marathon because of the following reasons:- 1. There was no water en route (most water stations were empty), and NO WATER NEAR FINISH LINE!!! 2. Tired runners were made to walk a long distance to the Burj Park in search of water/ refreshment. 3. Only one refreshment counter, resulting in a very long queue. It was obvious that this event was planned by people who have no running experience. ”

“How can a half marathon event run out of water after the 5km mark? absolutely terrible, and that was clear to see at the end in burj park. The queue at the water station was ridiculous. Then all of the outlets were selling out of water, it was actually dangerous how thirsty everyone was at the end of the race. Won't be booking another run with you guys again. ”

“Atmosphere was great. Route was excellent. Baggage collection a bit disorganised (my bag was not with its correct number grouping). First water point under-prepared but latter ones were - love the water containers. For a first edition of the race it was excellent - it can take learnings to make it a 10/10 next year. Will definitely run it again and recommend to others.”

“You cannot do a long race with out proper hydration stations. It was so commercial with crouded taps no means of grab your water and go, the worst. I am sure organiser didn't ever ran more than a 10k. Even when you reach the finish line dehydrated the was not a single means of hydration till very long way. Too dangerous, they were lucky that the weather was cool so no fainting runners from dehydration. ”

“Great route and well organized. Only downside was water stations.”

“An amazing experience ! Well organized and great sponsors ”

“I couldn’t believe there was no water when we finished the race ”

“Great atmosphere and well planned ”

“Well organized, great route and set-up in Burj Park was excellent”

“Not enough toilets (only 4!!!!) at the start. No bins for gels or consumables on the run that is common practice amongst athletes. Not enough water on course (dehydration impacts performance) NOR at the end No bins at the end of the banana, apple or orange peels that were handed out. Shockingly bad in terms of the basics for a half marathon. ”

“It has the potential to be a great event but it needs change. Not enough toilets at the start - people queuing for 45 mins. Have been to smaller events with double the number. Not enough water at early feeding stations. Applaud the fact the event was plastic free, but you cannot compromise on people's health and well-being - need to find a way. Use the ropes that we laid out to pen and stagger the start. This was clearly the intention but not done and caused crowding.”

“No water at 5km mark. Very little water at the end of the race - suggest more here as it’s the first thing runners want at the end instead of walking another 700m to the park. Also found it strange we couldn’t bring single use plastic water bottles yet the blue water which was handed out was also a form of single use plastic which was just discarded on the ground during the race. ”

“Best event in Dubai! So well organized - so much fun. Everyone I spoke to was very impressed! The only improvement is just to ensure water for the participants at the end. Otherwise it was beyond perfect and I want to attend again in 2025!”

“+Loved the idea of the resuable bottles / no single use plastic. +Loved the sports village, great to see we are trying to build a better after race vibe for some of these events +well organized, started on time, crowd management was good -Perhaps have colder water in the future! -Better toilets enroute as the flushing mechanism didn't seem to work and they got really overloaded. Otherwise great event! -more entertainment on route, all Dubai races seem to struggle with this concept. Live music”

“It was great couple points as a feedback- water stations need to be rethought as we couldnt find water on 3 stations as the supplies were already gone and finish line need a better arch and timing for racers to see rest was great”

“Disappointed. No Hydration station till 10k, then no Hydration station at finish line as well. No proper bag drop time & location. No T-shirts as per our requested sizes. Nowhere written in medals we were done half marathon.”

“A bit better organization at the water stands”

“How dangerous there was no water in the water stations. This performative act of “let’s save the world” but in reality just put a lot of people at risk … whoever planned and accepted this has obviously never been at a race . No water at the course and no water at the end of the race . Course was lovely but Humantra needs to be sacked . Mai Dubai for next year (which is the company I see the most in proper races) ”

“Loved it and looking forward for next year”

“Not enough water/food/gels are water stations. Otherwise amazing!”

“I enjoyed the event. Lack of information about the exact place of departure, I was not sure where was the Dubai police academy. At the finish line, too much people there and it was not easy to arrive in a proper way and enjoy the end of the race. Otherwise the rest was great: the water provided along with snacks and toilets put in some places.”

“Poorly organized water stations., no race results, no race photos (( ”

“One of the best running events I have done in the region. A few bits of feedback: website should be updated on the day to have a link to live results and photos. Also the biggest problem was the hydration. The reusuable flasks were very frustrating on course, hard to drink from and only had Humantra when I only wanted water. Then no water at the finish, this was torture! Otherwise absolutely loved this event and can’t wait to participate next year!”

“Communication in actual start of the race and in emails sent out told us to meet at Dubai police academy and police were not happy with so many people there waiting . ”

“It was an amazing run and generally well-organized. Some tips for next time: -Volunteers should not take the cover off of the flask. I could no longer use it as she had taken the top off. -There should have been more bathrooms at the start. It took 30 minutes for me to use the bathroom. -It would be great for the medal to have both burjs on it. Thanks again for a great race!”

“There was no water left until we got to 15K then there was no water at the end. My friend had a fall and there were no marshall's or first aid to help, despite us looking for them from the 5k mark up until the end. There were not enough toilets! I ordered a medium T shirt and when I collected mine only had the option of L or XL!”

“Course was nice. First 2 water stations was empty when we passed them. That should def be improved. No water or any hydration or nutrition at the finish. That was unacceptable.”

“Beautiful route! The only criticism is lack of water or better management of those areas plastic refillable containers. They were just not practical ”

“The water situation was really not great. I applaud the efforts to be green and carbon neutral, but it fell flat in execution. I went through some water stops where there was no water left and when I got to the finish there was also no water. I also saw so many of the refillable flasks littered along the sides of the roads on course, many still full, which really is just as damaging to the environment. Bib pickup was also a massive headache - more options, especially for those from Abu Dhabi”

“There was an extreme lack of facilities for the number of people doing the race. To begin, the bathrooms before the start line. I was still queuing 3 minutes before the race began. Along the way, I noticed people queueing for the bathroom, running into nearby restaurants and shops to use the bathroom. Secondly, there was also a huge lack of water. I did not receive any until 12.5km. After the race, I also could not get my hands on any. This isn’t acceptable in this heat. ”

“Good intentions not good enough. For a race of a few thousand athletes you had only 4 male toilets at the start, simply not acceptable, the queue 45min before the start was nearing 200men, before I stopped counting. Not a single trash can or dustbin anywhere on course, not anywhere. The water sustainability attempt was good intentions but simply not practical, at all. Course was a mess and some athletes didn’t get a water until 12km in as first aid stations were out. Great venue, great course.”

“More porta loos at the start next year please. ”

“It was a great event, except for one crucial thing; Water. We were told that there was going to be enough reusable bottles for everyone, but by the time i got to the first station there was just one guy shrugging and saying there was no more.. First water station at 10k is not acceptable. Furthermore, the people at the stations were really not proactive, most of the time they were sat there waiting for you to ask them for water rather than be ready.”